ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal and Plant Disease

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many outbreaks of each notifiable (a) animal and (b) plant disease there have been in each of the last 10 years.

Ben Bradshaw: The two tables placed in the Library of the House summarise details of outbreaks of each (a) notifiable animal and (b) plant disease/notifiable pests of plants in each of the last 10 years.
	The first table details animal diseases in Great Britain as notifiable under the Animal Health Act 1981.
	The second table details outbreaks in England and Wales, as Defra's Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate are responsible for dealing with outbreaks both in England, and in Wales under a specific plant health concordat.

Animal Fodder

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 19 April 2004, Official Report, column 129W, on animal fodder, if she will list the developing countries which exported animal feeding stuffs and cereals into the (a) UK and (b) EU in 2002.

Alun Michael: Tables placed in the Library of the House provide details of exports of cereals and feeding stuff for animals to the UK and the EU from developing countries in 2002 as recorded in the UK Overseas Trade Statistics and the equivalent systems of other member states.
	Overseas Trade Statistics (and the equivalent systems of other member states are subject to a degree of error. Although the overall level of errors is low, small values are affected disproportionately. Care should therefore be taken when interpreting such data.

Batteries

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of small, domestic-type batteries were recycled in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 26 April 2004
	As far as we know, all collected batteries are recycled, but the collection rate is very low. We understand that the UK sold 25,100 tonnes of consumer batteries in 2002 and 125 tonnes were collected separately. This equates to a low collection rate of only 1 per cent.
	In 2003, Britannia Zinc recycled 5 tonnes as part of the Bristol Battery Recycling Campaign. All other collected consumer batteries are sent abroad for recycling.

Batteries

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to encourage those using disposable batteries to switch to rechargeable ones.

Elliot Morley: The environmental case for switching to rechargeable batteries is not straightforward as not all applications are appropriate for rechargeable batteries. The Government are therefore not taking any steps on this matter.

Bovine TB

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research is being undertaken by or on behalf of her Department on bovine TB.

Ben Bradshaw: The following table shows the TB research projects currently being funded by Defra (April 2004):
	
		
			 Code Research Project Contractor 
		
		
			 SE3004 Multivariate analysis of risk factors affecting tuberculosis incidence in cattle herds—phase 1 Veterinary Laboratories Agency 
			 SE3008 Detection and enumeration of Mycobacterium bovis from clinical and enviromental samples Veterinary Laboratories Agency 
			 SE3013 Pathogenesis and diagnosis of tuberculosis in cattle—complementary field studies Veterinary Laboratories Agency 
			 SE3017 Development and evaluation of strain typing methods for Mycobacterium bovis Veterinary Laboratories Agency 
			 SE3024 Low dose TB infection in cattle: disease dynamics and diagnostic strategies Queens University Belfast/Veterinary Laboratories Agency 
			 SE3026 Bovine TB transmission in restocked herds: risk factors and dynamics Warwick University 
			 SE3027 Pathogenesis and immunology of Mycobacterium bovis infection in cattle Institute of Animal Health 
			 SE3028 The development of improved tests for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium bovis infection in cattle Veterinary Laboratories Agency 
			 SE3029 An investigation of potential badger/cattle interactions and how cattle husbandry methods may limit these Central Science Laboratory 
			 SE3030 Application of postgenomics to reveal the basis of virulence, pathogenesis and transmissability of Mycobacterium bovis Veterinary Laboratories Agency 
			 SE3032 The long term intensive ecological and epidemiological investigation of a badger population Central Science Laboratory 
			 SE3033 Housing of naturally infected cattle (field reactors) at VLA for immunological and bacteriological analysis Veterinary Laboratories Agency 
			 SE3107 Develop innovative methods to estimate badger population density Central Science Laboratory 
			 SE3110 A molecular genetic analysis of badger social structure and bovine TB Central Science Laboratory 
			 SE3116 The economic value in changes in badger populations Reading University 
			 SE3206 Genome sequence analysis of Mycobacterium bovis Veterinary Laboratories Agency 
			 SE3208 Generation of vaccine candidates against Mycobacterium bovis Veterinary Laboratories Agency 
			 SE3209 Testing of vaccine candidates for Bovine Tuberculosis using a low dose aerosol challenge guinea pig model Veterinary Laboratories Agency 
			 SE3212 Testing TB vaccines in cattle Veterinary Laboratories Agency 
			 SE3215 Development of immunological assays for the detection of Mycobacterium bovis infection in badgers Veterinary Laboratories Agency 
			 SE3216 Development and testing of vaccines against badger tuberculosis Veterinary Laboratories Agency 
			 SE3217 Kinetics of skin test response in bovine TB Institute of Animal Health 
			 ZF0531 The ecological consequences of removing badgers from an ecosystem Central Science Laboratory 
		
	
	A full list of Defra's research projects can be foundonline at: http://www2.defra.gov.uk/research/project   data/Default.asp
	Defra is also funding the Randomised Badger Culling Trial and associated research (the Road Traffic Accident Survey in seven English counties and the TB99 Epidemiological Questionnaire), as well as a Gamma Interferon Policy Pilot.
	A limited survey of wildlife (badgers, and deer with suspicious lesions) killed on the roads in the Furness Peninsula, Cumbria is also underway.

Bovine TB

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will respond to the Godfrey Report on the Government's tuberculosis strategy.

Ben Bradshaw: On 6 April, Defra announced the publication of a report from an independent scientific panel reviewing the progress of the Randomised Badger Culling Trial and associated Defra research, as part of a wider review of Defra's science. The audit panel was chaired by Professor Charles Godfray FRS, director of the Natural Environment Research Council's Centre for Population Biology at Imperial College London, and comprised experts from the fields of veterinary and wildlife population epidemiology, applied statistics and population biology.
	The Government will give careful consideration to the complex recommendations of the report. The review's conclusions will inform Defra's wider review of TB strategy. Defra has extended the deadline for the public consultation on the TB Strategy review until 4 June, to allow sufficient time for the assimilation of, and comment on, this report.

BSE

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when it is proposed that the over-30-month scheme for beef will end; and if she will make a statement.

Alun Michael: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) review of the Over-30-Month rule was completed in July 2003 and recommended that it would be acceptable on public health grounds to replace the rule with BSE testing of cattle in two stages. Cattle born after August 1996 could be allowed into the food chain, after being tested for BSE, with the possibility of complete replacement of the rule from July 2005. Health Ministers are still considering the FSA advice, but it has already been decided that, for practical reasons, cattle born before August 1996 will be permanently excluded from the food chain. We are now unlikely to see any changes to the OTMS before January 2005, due to the legislative process that must take place once a decision has been reached by Ministers.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she (a) has in place and (b) is proposing further to reduce UK emissions of carbon dioxide between 2002 and 2010.

Elliot Morley: The Climate Change Programme, published in 2000, sets out an integrated package of policies and measures to reduce the UK's emissions of carbon dioxide from all sectors of the economy. Policies in the programme include the Climate Change Levy which is helping to fund measures to promote better energy efficiency in business and the public sector; the UK emissions trading scheme; targets to provide 10 per cent. of the UK's electricity from renewable sources of energy by 2010; the Energy Efficiency Commitment requiring electricity and gas suppliers to help domestic customers to save energy and cut fuel bills and; reforms to vehicle excise duty and company car taxation to support the aims of the European Union (EU) voluntary agreements with car manufacturers to improve fuel efficiency by at least 25 per cent. on 1995 levels by 2008–09.
	The Climate Change Programme will be reviewed later this year, which will provide an opportunity to introduce new policies, or strengthen existing ones, if the conclusion is that more needs to be done to keep us on track towards our domestic goal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2010.
	The 2003 Energy White Paper set out an ambitious long-term strategy for UK energy policy and real progress has been made towards implementation of the White Paper's commitments. "Creating a Low Carbon Economy—First Annual Report on Implementation of the Energy White Paper", published on 26 April, sets out the progress made to date and summarises the practical steps already taken in pursuit of the long-term goals.
	On 26 April, the Government also published its Energy Efficiency Action Plan which details action to meet the energy efficiency commitments set out in the Energy White Paper. The Action Plan sets out a package of policies and measures that are expected to save around 12 million tonnes of carbon by 2010; a 20 per cent. increase on the Energy White Paper's commitment of 10 million tonnes.
	Key new measures in the Action Plan include, increasing the activity levels for the Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC) over the period 2005–08 to be roughly double those under the current EEC, and the EEC to continue to 2011 with a review in 2007; a new commitment by central Government to procure only high standard (top quartile) buildings and; a commitment to consider ways to better communicate about climate change, raising awareness of the links between climate change, energy policy and the choices we make as individuals, businesses and public sector organisations.
	Our combined heat and power (CHP) Strategy, published on 26 April, confirmed our belief that CHP has an important role to play in achieving our Energy White Paper aims and our continued aim towards our target of 10 gigawatts of Good Quality CHP capacity in the UK by 2010.
	Policies and measures are also being developed at an EU level under the European Climate Change Programme (ECCP). These measures, which include the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, will complement measures being taken at a national level, and reduce emissions across all member states.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what changes she has made to the carbon dioxide reduction target relative to 1990 levels within the National Allocation Plan to implement the EU Emissions Trading Directive following discussions with the DTI.

Elliot Morley: Government are committed to the key principles for setting the total level of allowances to UK installations as set out in the draft National Allocation Plan (NAP) in January. The key principle of the UK allocation methodology is that the total level of allowances for the first phase will be less than the projected emissions of the UK installations covered by the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. This reduction will be set on the basis that these installations would deliver a further 5.5 million tonnes CO 2 savings by 2010.
	We have always said that there may be changes to the total level of allowances, published in the draft NAP in January, as a result of various factors including continued updating and refinements to the energy projections, reclassification of sectors, identification of additional installations and corrections to historical emissions data. The detail of these changes will be set out in the NAP to be published shortly.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assumptions have been made in respect of potential extra cuts in carbon emissions beyond those already anticipated in a business-as-usual scenario in setting the carbon dioxide reduction target relative to 1990 levels within the National Allocation Plan to implement the EU Emissions Trading Directive.

Elliot Morley: The energy projections used for calculating carbon dioxide emissions are driven by a number of key assumptions, which relate to economic growth, fossil fuel prices and population and industrial output. These assumptions incorporate the projected savings from the UK Climate Change Programme.
	The total level of allowances set out in the National Allocation Plan also take into account an additional saving of 5.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide which emissions trading was envisaged to deliver in the UK's Climate Change Programme by 2010.
	In May, the Department for Trade and Industry intends to publish a working paper on the updated emissions projections, the energy and other assumptions underpinning them as they stood for use in the National Allocation Plan to be published shortly.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what weight was given to (a) the desired environmental outcome and (b) expected energy trends in determining the carbon dioxide reduction target relative to 1990 levels under the EU Emissions Trading Directive.

Elliot Morley: The EU Emissions Trading Scheme is central to our work to move towards a low carbon economy. In the draft National Allocation Plan, published on 19 January, we demonstrated the UK's commitment to tackling climate change and signalled our plans for an ambitious approach to begin from phase one of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. The draft plan committed us to reducing UK carbon dioxide emissions by 5.5 million tonnes beyond those measures already set out in the Climate Change Programme and we have no intention of going back on that commitment.
	The expected energy trends were incorporated into the baseline for the EU Emissions Trading Scheme and are currently being updated. The total level of allowances to be published in the National Allocation Plan shortly will reflect the most recent energy projections and the UK's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of the 20 per cent. cut in carbon dioxide emissions by 2010 she expects to be achieved through reductions in carbon dioxide emissions from the transport sector.

Elliot Morley: The UK Climate Change Programme, published in November 2000, seeks to reduce emissions from all sectors of the economy. The Programme was intended to be flexible and cost effective and did not set targets for individual sectors.
	UK carbon dioxide emissions were around 165 million tonnes of carbon (MtC) in 1990. Reducing emissions by 20 per cent. will correspond to a reduction of around 33 MtC by 2010.
	Policies in the Climate Change Programme to reduce emissions from transport include the EU voluntary agreements on carbon dioxide emissions from cars, backed up by changes to company car taxation and vehicle excise duty; the 10 year plan for transport and; sustainable distribution in Scotland and Wales. At the time the Programme was published, it was estimated that these policies could reduce transport emissions by a total of 5.7 MtC below the projected business as usual emissions for 2010 which would have reduced the projected increase in emissions from transport to around 2.5 per cent. above 1990 levels by 2010.
	The Government are committed to reviewing the Climate Change Programme later this year, including the measures introduced to reduce transport emissions. The implications of the rolled forward strategy for transport, which the Government expects to publish in the summer after the conclusion of the spending review, will also feed into this review. The Department for Transport is currently consulting stakeholders on the UK's targets for the use of transport biofuels under the Biofuels Directive. Achieving 5 per cent. use of biofuels today would save around £1 million tonnes of carbon per annum—around three per cent. of overall road transport carbon dioxide emissions. To date indications are that the transport sector is not currently on course to deliver the level of carbon savings estimated in the UK Climate Change Programme. Details of this were outlined in the 10 Year Plan Progress Report.

Crop Spraying

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the progress is of her Department's consultation on proposed crop spray buffer zones.

Alun Michael: The consultation on whether no-spray buffer zones should be introduced between agricultural spray operations and residential areas had a substantial response. I have seen initial papers from officials but all the evidence needs to be considered and the implications of any decision need to be thoroughly thought through. Our priority is to ensure that the right decision is made. It would be counter-productive to rush into making a decision and announce a conclusion as soon as there is something to say.

Disposable Nappies

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research her Department has commissioned on the potential impact on household waste volumes of introducing charges based upon the volume or weight of domestic waste produced by each household, with particular reference to disposable nappy volumes; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Government have no plans for the introduction of a national tax, or charge, on household waste. The Strategy Unit Report, "Waste not, Want not", recommended that local authorities who wish to take forward household incentive schemes to help reduce waste amounts and increase recycling, should be allowed to do so. In response to this recommendation work has been carried out to examine the impact of household incentive schemes. This work has looked in particular at the practicalities of operating any such schemes and how potential disadvantages might be overcome.
	"Waste Not Want Not" also recommended that the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) should take forward work supporting re-usable nappy schemes. The aim of this work, now under way, is to achieve an average diversion of 225 kg/year per participating household by 2006. The scheme seeks to reach 550,000 households, equivalent to 24 per cent. of households with children aged 0–3 years. This would reduce arisings by a total of 200,000 tonnes over three years.

Disposable Nappies

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what waste reduction targets have been set for the UK by European directives and regulations; what penalties could be incurred for failure to meet those targets; and what assessment has been made of the contribution of a reduction in the numbers of disposable nappies being sent to landfill to achieving those targets.

Elliot Morley: There are no European directives or regulations which set UK waste reduction targets.
	The UK targets under the Landfill Directive are to reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste sent to landfill to 75 per cent. of 1995 levels by 2010, 50 per cent. by 2013 and 35 per cent. by 2020 (using the four-year derogation period). Failure to reach these targets could result in the UK being fined up to £500,000 per day.
	In its report "Waste not, Want not", the Strategy Unit estimated that in 2000–01 nappies comprised around 2 per cent. of household waste, equivalent to 350,000 tonnes.
	The report recommended that the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) should take forward work supporting re-usable nappy schemes to aim to reach 550,000 households with the aim of reducing arisings by a total of 200,000 tonnes over three years. This work is currently under way and will help in reducing the amount of waste the UK produces.

Disposable Nappies

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department has received a copy of the recent report from the Women's Environmental Network on the environmental and economic cost to the national health service of the use in and promotion through NHS facilities of disposable nappies; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Department has received a copy of the Women's Environmental Network report.

Disposable Nappies

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to develop co-ordinated strategies with officials from the Department of Health and the national health service for the reduction in the number of disposable nappies going to landfill; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: In its report, "Waste not, Want not", the Strategy Unit estimated that in 2000–01, nappies comprised around 2 per cent. of household waste, equivalent to 350,000 tonnes.
	The report recommended that the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) take forward work supporting re-usable nappy schemes to aim to reach 550,000 households with the aim of reducing arisings by a total of 200,000 tonnes over three years. This work is currently under way.
	As well as supporting new re-usable nappy businesses, the WRAP programme will also undertake work with health trusts, hospitals and professionals on re-usable nappies. It is a matter for the individual maternity units and trusts, in consultation with women and their families using the services, to decide on the practicalities of adopting real nappy schemes.

Disposable Nappies

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when officials of her Department last met representatives of the Nappy Alliance to discuss disposable nappies; what action suggestions arose from that meeting; and what progress has been made in implementing them.

Elliot Morley: Officials from the Department has not met representatives of the Nappy Alliance to discuss disposable nappies.

Energy Efficiency

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much money was spent on grants to aid energy efficiency in (a) Lancashire, (b) Chorley and (c) the North West in each of the last three years.

Elliot Morley: Defra currently provides grant funding for energy efficiency through four main routes. These organisations or programmes undertake work at a national or UK level often demand led and with no specific levels of funding attributed to particular regions.
	The Carbon Trust—to support and promote energy efficiency and low carbon innovation for business and public sector.
	The Energy Saving Trust—to support and promote energy efficiency in the domestic sector.
	The Community Energy programme—capital and development funding to refurbish existing and install new community heating schemes.
	The Warm Front programme—to provide energy efficiency measures to the vulnerable.
	The funding made available by my Department to support and promote efficiency measures in each of the last three years is of the scale set out as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2001–02 256 
			 2002–03 225 
			 2003–04 (1)243 
		
	
	(1) Budget

Energy Efficiency

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason she has not met the commitment given in paragraph 3.49 of the Energy White Paper of February 2003 to publish an implementation plan on energy efficiency within one year.

Elliot Morley: The principal reason for the delay in publication of the Energy Efficiency Implementation Plan was to allow it to be published alongside the First Annual Report of the Energy White Paper.

Energy Efficiency

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what studies she has undertaken on the numbers of new jobs which implementing in full the energy efficiency targets contained within the Energy White Paper would provide by 2020.

Elliot Morley: No specific studies have been undertaken by the Department on the numbers of new jobs that might be created through the implementation of the energy efficiency goals set out in the Energy White Paper. However, in order for the White Paper goals to be met, a significant expansion of energy efficiency industry capacity would be required.

Energy Efficiency

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes in Wirral, South have benefited from the Warm Front and Home Energy Efficiency schemes.

Elliot Morley: The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme is now marketed as Warm Front. Between the launch of the scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2004, approximately 1,600 households in Wirral, South received assistance from the scheme.

Energy Efficiency

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures her Department is undertaking to reduce the level of domestic energy consumption in the United Kingdom.

Elliot Morley: 'Energy Efficiency: The Government's Plan for Action' published on 26 April 2004, sets out how the Government aims to cut carbon emissions by an 12 million tonnes through energy efficiency measures across all sectors by 2010.
	In UK households, we have announced a new aim to deliver annual savings of 4.2 million tonnes of carbon by 2010. Measures to achieve this include:
	The Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC)—we intend the activity levels for EEC over the period 2005–08 to be roughly double those under the current EEC, and the EEC to continue to 2011, possibly with changes in the way in which it is delivered. We anticipate that the EEC will continue at the same higher level to 2011, subject to its continuing cost effectiveness in relation to other carbon abatement options and value for money for end consumers;
	Updating the Building Regulations in 2005, thus raising standards of all new and refurbished buildings, not just households. Provisions for higher boiler standards will come into force in April 2005. Energy surveys and certification of all buildings, will be among the measures introduced to implement the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive;
	A major new training scheme for heating installers, is to precede the revision of the boiler provisions in the Building Regulations in 2005;
	In the social sector, social landlords will continue to carry out improvements to the heating and insulation of their housing through the Decent Homes programme. The Warm Front grant programme will continue to tackle fuel poverty by installing heating and other energy efficiency measures;
	Fiscal incentives already reduce the cost of professionally installed insulation. Budget 2004 announced additional economic incentives for energy efficiency, including tax relief for landlords installing insulation, and a reduced rate of VAT on ground-source heat pumps;
	Negotiating rising standards for energy using appliances via EU-wide agreements and policy instruments. Also, improving product standards, with negotiations underway on the Eco-design of Energy Using Products Directive;
	Grants to support community heating (the Community Energy Programme) and small-scale renewable generation (Clear Skies and the major photovoltaic demonstration programme);
	The Energy Saving Trust's information and advice programmes for households and local authorities;
	There will also be enhanced emphasis on communicating the links between climate change and energy efficiency and a stronger emphasis on communicating the reality of climate change, raising public awareness of the links between climate change and energy.

Energy Efficiency

Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes in Wigan have benefited from the home energy efficiency scheme, Warm Front.

Elliot Morley: The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme is now marketed as Warm Front. Between the launch of the scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2004, approximately 2,400 households in Wigan received assistance from the Scheme.

Energy Efficiency

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes in Preston have benefited from the home energy efficiency scheme, Warm Front.

Elliot Morley: Between the launch of the scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2004, approximately 4,000 households in Preston received assistance from the scheme.

Energy Efficiency

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes in Heywood and Middleton have benefited from the home energy efficiency scheme, Warm Front.

Elliot Morley: The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme is now marketed as Warm Front. Between the launch of the scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2004, approximately 2,400 households in Heywood and Middleton received assistance from the scheme.

Energy Efficiency

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes in Warrington South have benefited from the Home Energy Efficiency and Warm Front Schemes.

Elliot Morley: The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme is now marketed as Warm Front. Between the launch of the scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2004, approximately 1,600 households in Warrington South received assistance from the Scheme.

Energy Efficiency

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes in Stalybridge and Hyde have benefited from the Home Energy Efficiency and Warm Front Schemes.

Elliot Morley: The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme is now marketed as Warm Front. Between the launch of the scheme in June 2000 and the end of March 2004, approximately 2,000 households in Stalybridge and Hyde received assistance from the Scheme.

Environmental Protection

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the contribution the Are you doing your bit campaign has made to the Government's efforts to achieve its target of a 20 per cent.reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2008 to 2012.

Elliot Morley: The Are you doing your bit campaign was a successful stage in the Government's effort to raise the general level of public awareness of environmental issues. Research in 1998 showed initial campaign activity had proved effective. Further research in 1999 showed that 9 out of 10 people recognised the campaign and 7 out of 10 understood that everyone should do their bit. A further 9 out of 10 people said they already carried out the simple actions promulgated by the campaign.
	It did not, nor was it designed to, radically change behaviour or business practice across society and in any case it would not be possible to positively link the impact of any one information source with levels of carbon dioxide emissions for the UK as a whole.

Environmental Protection

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much Government funding was available in each of the past three years to the (a) Energy Saving Trust and (b) Going for Green charity.

Elliot Morley: The information requested is in the tables.
	(a) Energy Saving Trust funding made available by the department over the last three years is as follows.
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2001–02 24.3 
			 2002–03 23.4 
			 2003–04 24.6 (Budget) 
		
	
	Figures for 2002–03 and 2003–04 include funding for the Housing Energy Efficiency Best Practice programme.
	(b) Government funding is provided to the environmental charity ENCAMS annually. The funding supports ENCAMS' work on a range of local environmental quality issues, including the Tidy Britain Group and Going for Green.
	Funding over the last three years is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2001–02 3,762,000 
			 2002–03 (2)4,597,000 
			 2003–04 3,574,000 
		
	
	(2) Defra allocated an additional £1 million to local authorities through ENCAMS for the Local Environmental Quality Pathfinder Programme that forged partnerships between local authorities and the local community. Some of the projects developed reduced fast food litter, railway land litter and schools litter.

Environmental Protection

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the decision not to renew the Government's Are you doing your bit campaign; and  what funding was provided for the www.doingyourbit.org.uk website, since the campaign began.

Elliot Morley: The Secretary of State will not be making a statement on the Are you doing your bit campaign.
	Detailed consideration is being given to the options for future communications activity in this area. Thinking will be informed by the current sustainable development consultation, 'Taking it on', launched 21 April 2004.
	The campaign website was funded from within the overall campaign budget. No specific records were kept for the website element of the campaign.

Farming

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the farm income levels for farmers in Preston in the past five years.

Alun Michael: Due to the small number of farms in Preston, there is no robust data available on farm incomes for farmers in that area over the last five years. Net farm income for farms in the EU north region and for England over the last five years are show in the following table.
	
		Net Farm Income
		
			  EU north region England 
		
		
			 1998–99 8,272 10,359 
			 1999–2000 8,659 7,981 
			 2000–01 12,456 9,886 
			 2001–02 16,457 13,558 
			 2002–03 18,512 16,435 
		
	
	Source:
	Farm Business Survey
	Net farm income is the return to the principal farmer and spouse for their manual and managerial labour and to the tenant-type capital of the
	business.

Farming

David Borrow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on farm income for farmers in South Ribble in the past five years.

Alun Michael: Due to the small number of farms in South Ribble, there is no robust data available on farm incomes for farmers in that area. Net farm income for farms in the EU North Region and for England over the last five years are show in the following table.
	
		Net farm income
		
			  EU North Region England 
		
		
			 1998–99 8,272 10,359 
			 1999–2000 8,659 7,981 
			 2000–01 12,456 9,886 
			 2001–02 16,457 13,558 
			 2002–03 18,512 16,435 
		
	
	Source:
	Farm Business Survey
	Net farm income is the return to the principal farmer and spouse for their manual and managerial labour and to the tenant-type capital of the business

Farming

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the average (a) severely disadvantaged area (SDA) and (b) non-SDA payment will be in Cumbria in each year from 2005 to 2013.

Alun Michael: No estimates are available for the allocation of historic subsides to Single Farm Payment regions at county level. So it is not possible to determine the historic element of the payment during the transition period.

Fertilisers

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 28 April 2004 reference 166842, what assessment she has made of the alternative fertilisers used in countries that have banned ammonium nitrate fertilisers.

Elliot Morley: The soil and climatic conditions in the countries that have banned ammonium nitrate (AN) fertilisers—China, Colombia, Algeria and the Philippines—are very different from those experienced in the UK. One of the principal alternative fertilisers used in these countries is urea. Urea-based fertilisers give rise to greater ammonia emissions than AN. A switch to urea could, therefore, put at risk the UK's ability to meet internationally-agreed ammonia reduction targets. Crops cannot use urea directly. It must first be converted to ammonium and to nitrate nitrogen in the soil before being taken up by plants. As a result, urea can, in cold conditions, be slower acting than AN. The loss of ammonia from urea can also reduce crop yields, thus adding to the cost of crop production. As mentioned in my previous answer, we have an ongoing dialogue with industry to compare how well other nitrogen fertilisers perform in our soil and climatic conditions and their potential environmental impacts.

Flooding

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her written statement of 20 April 2004, Official Report, columns 7–8WS, on flood defences, what options she is assessing for further reforms to improve accountability and effectiveness.

Elliot Morley: Implementation of the conclusions of the Flood and Coastal Defence Funding Review represents a significant reorganisation and streamlining of the service. Following the introduction of Flood Defence grant-in-aid to the Environment Agency on 1 April 2004, we are developing output and performance measures to monitor the efficiency and effectiveness of the Agency in reducing flood risk and to ensure optimal allocation of funding. In addition, the Agency are developing targets for reducing overheads associated with processing flood defence projects, which will be included in the Agency's Corporate Plan. We are also developing new procedures for monitoring the effectiveness of Internal Drainage Boards.
	As announced in March 2003, we will be undertaking a formal review of the effectiveness of the funding review conclusions after three years effective operation. We intend to commence this review in 2007, at which time we will consider whether any further reforms to the service should be considered. We will keep stakeholders fully involved in this work.

Flooding

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to meet hon. Members representing areas where properties or agricultural land are or might become at risk from flooding from the sea or from tidal inland waterways to discuss the Government's policy on global warming.

Elliot Morley: The recently published Foresight Report on flood and coastal defence will provide guidance for policy development in relation to managing increasing flood risk in the longer term, including the impact of climate change. I held briefing for hon. Members on the 22 April for this purpose. I will also be meeting the All Party Parliamentary Flood Prevention Group on 26 May. The Foresight Report is on the agenda.
	Since the 1980s the Department has provided guidance to operating authorities to make allowance for climate change in the planning and appraisal of new and replacement flood and coastal defence works. This guidance has been regularly reviewed in the light of the latest research findings and supplementary guidance was most recently issued in 2003. The aim is to take a suitably precautionary approach whilst not diverting funds unnecessarily from the solution of problems that affect people today. The approach and guidance will be further reviewed for the new Strategy for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management which is expected to be completed by early next year.

Fuel Poverty

Harold Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the progress of the Government's commitment to end fuel poverty by 2010.

Elliot Morley: The UK Fuel Poverty Strategy Second Annual Progress Report was published recently, providing an update of progress during the last year. The most recent estimates show a fall in the number of households in fuel poverty in the UK to 2.25 million in 2002, from around 3 million in 2001. The number of fuel poor households in England in 2002 is estimated to have fallen to around 1.4 million.
	The Fuel Poverty Implementation Plan, due to be published in the summer, will set out proposals for achieving our target to eradicate fuel poverty, as far as reasonably practicable, by 2010 for all vulnerable households in England and 2016 for all households in England.

Global Warming

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what evaluation she has made of experiments to use oceans to absorb more carbon dioxide by spraying them with iron filings and the impact this will have on global warming.

Elliot Morley: Experimental studies of iron fertilisation have so far been carried out on a relatively small scale, and computer models are needed to estimate the consequences of large scale fertilisation. Modelling studies of iron fertilisation are currently performed as part of Defra's Climate Prediction Programme at the Hadley Centre.
	Iron fertilisation encourages extra growth of phytoplankton, which increases the uptake of carbon dioxide from the water and subsequently the atmosphere. Preliminary studies have indicated that even wide spread and continuous iron fertilisation would reduce levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide by only a small fraction, making it unlikely that there would be a significant impact on global warming. In addition, the consequences of such fertilisation on marine ecosystems could be severe.

Local Authority Smallholdings

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans the Department has to propose amendments to the law with regard to the reference by a county council of its decision to dispose of all or part of its smallholdings.

Alun Michael: The operation and management of county council smallholdings estates by local authorities is regulated by the Agriculture Act 1970. I can confirm that we have no plans to amend this Act.

National Allocation Plan

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to what extent the requirements of the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive with regard to energy efficiency have been taken into account in the design of the UK's National Allocation Plan.

Elliot Morley: The energy projections, used as the basis for calculating the allocation of allowances under the National Allocation Plan, take into account carbon dioxide emission reductions resulting from the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive. Therefore the allocation methodology used reflects the reductions in carbon dioxide emissions resulting from the requirements of the directive. A working paper on the updated energy projections will be published by the Department for Trade and Industry in May.
	Under the directive, member states may choose not to impose Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control energy efficiency provisions on installations covered by the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. We are currently deciding how we intend to use this provision in the UK.

Orchards

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the number of (a) animal and (b) plant species that will be affected by the loss of traditional orchards.

Alun Michael: Defra regards traditional orchards as an important habitat for a wide range of species including wild flowers, lichens, insects and birds, and funds their conservation through the Countryside Stewardship Scheme.

Quality Parish Councils

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which (a) parish and (b) town councils have achieved the status of Quality Parish Councils, in the last year broken down by area.

Alun Michael: (a) There are 17 parish councils that have achieved Quality Status in the last year. By area they are:
	
		
			 Name of council Area 
		
		
			 Holywell-cum-NeedingworthParish Council Cambridgeshire 
			 Poynton Parish Council Cheshire 
			 Upton by Chester Parish Council Cheshire 
			 Winsford Parish Council Cheshire 
			 Stokenham Parish Council Devon 
			 St. Osyth Parish Council Essex 
			 Hamble-le-Rice Parish Council Hampshire 
			 Headley Parish Council Hampshire 
			 Wootton Bridge Parish Council Isle of Wight 
			 Asfordby Parish Council Leicestershire and Rutland 
			 Braunstone Parish Council Leicestershire and Rutland 
			 Lawley and Overdale ParishCouncil Shropshire 
			 Selattyn and Gobowen ParishCouncil Shropshire 
			 Hurstpierpoint Sayers CommonParish Council Sussex 
			 Cuckfield Parish Council Sussex 
			 Curdworth Parish Council Warwickshire and West Midlands 
			 Melksham without Parish Council Wiltshire 
		
	
	(b) There are 28 town councils that have achieved Quality Status in the last year. By area are:
	
		
			 Name of council Area 
		
		
			 Weston-super-Mare Town Council Avon 
			 Keynsham Town Council Avon 
			 Leighton Linslade Town Council Bedfordshire 
			 Newbury Town Council Berkshire 
			 Buckingham Town Council Buckinghamshire 
			 Huntingdon Town Council Cambridgeshire 
			 Lvybridge Town Council Devon 
			 Cullompton Town Council Devon 
			 Tavistock Town Council Devon 
			 Exmouth Town Council Devon 
			 Kingsbridge Town Council Devon 
			 Sedgefield Town Council Durham 
			 Great Baddow Town Council Essex 
			 Witham Town Council Essex 
			 Loughton Town Council Essex 
			 Maldon Town Council Essex 
			 Wivenhoe Town Council Essex 
			 Brading Town Council Isle of Wight 
			 Edenbridge Town Council Kent 
			 Halewood Town Council Merseyside 
			 Cartenton Town Council Oxfordshire 
			 Oswestry Town Council Shropshire 
			 Sudbury Town Council Suffolk 
			 Seaford Town Council Sussex 
			 Burgess Hill Town Council Sussex 
			 East Grinstead Town Council Sussex 
			 Crowborough Town Council Sussex 
			 Whitnash Town Council Warwickshire and West Midlands 
			 Caine Town Council Wiltshire

Pesticides

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to make a statement on the effectiveness of the Pesticides Voluntary Initiative.

Alun Michael: The Government regularly reviews progress with the Voluntary Initiative on pesticides and reports its broad conclusions in the Budget and Pre-Budget Report. In Budget 2004 the Government confirmed the view that the Initiative will achieve the most effective way of reducing the environmental impacts of pesticide use provided it is fully implemented. However, to cover the potential case that the Initiative might fail to deliver the required environmental benefits within a reasonable time scale, the Government continues to keep the options for a tax or economic instrument under review. This remains the Government's position.

Pesticides

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what regulation of sprayers her Department undertakes under the Pesticides Voluntary Initiative.

Alun Michael: The Voluntary Initiative on Pesticides includes a National Sprayer Testing Scheme. This tests spray equipment to ensure that it can be used safely and effectively. The Scheme had a target to test 5,000 sprayers by 31 March 2004 and, while final figures are not yet in, appears to have achieved that level of uptake.
	The Initiative also includes projects to develop and promote best practice in the use of spray equipment. In particular, the National Register of Sprayer Operators helps pesticide users to keep up to date with good practice.
	As its name suggests, the Voluntary Initiative is not part of pesticide regulation as such but the Government wishes to see the Initiative succeed and has urged pesticide users to take part.

Pharmaceutical Crops

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many licences for the planting of pharmaceutical crops have been applied for in the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  what measures have been taken to prevent contamination of other crops from pharmaceutical crops being tested in the UK.

Elliot Morley: Consent under the deliberate release legislation would be required for the planting of genetically modified crops producing pharmaceuticals, but no applications have been received, and therefore no consents have been issued. As a result, there has been no requirement to take measures to prevent contamination of other crops.

Public Sewers

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to her answer of 10 March 2004, Official Report, column 1538W, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of provision of the data maintained by the Environment Agency on the volume of hazardous liquid waste disposed directly to public sewers.

Elliot Morley: The data collected and made available by the Environment Agency are designed to allow it to regulate effectively such discharges of liquid waste to public sewers in order to protect the aquatic environment from adverse impacts, and to comply with relevant EU Directives and other relevant legislation.
	The Department continues to work closely with the Environment Agency and the sewerage industry on the adequacy of data relating to sewers. A new Direction to Sewerage Undertakers has recently been issued requiring the sewerage industry to report to the EA information on emissions from sewage treatment works, for the purposes of the Pollution Inventory, against a revised list of substances.

Raptors

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consultation she has with (a) farmers and (b) landowners prior to the release of raptors on their land.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 6 May 2004
	I have had no direct consultations with farmers or landowners about the release of raptors on their land. Re-introduction projects for conservation reasons have been carried out in England for red kite, osprey and barn owl. These projects have involved English Nature (the Government's statutory conservation advisor), voluntary conservation bodies and private individuals. In all cases, those involved have obtained the permission of farmers and landowners before any birds were released. English Nature supports only those re-introduction projects that conform to internationally agreed guidelines produced by the World Conservation Union (IUCN). This includes the requirement that 'the programme should be fully understood, accepted and supported by local communities'.

Refrigerator Decommissioning

Richard Page: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of decommissioning work on refrigerators is being carried out in the UK; and which counties are carrying out this work in the UK.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 19 April 2004
	Approximately 72 per cent. of refrigerators were treated in England and Wales in 2003; the remainder were exported for treatment in Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark.
	Decommissioning of refrigerators through recovery and collection of ODS took place in the following counties and metropolitan areas in England and Wales:   Shropshire, Greater Manchester, Derbyshire, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Wiltshire, Gwent, Norfolk, Powys, Essex, East Sussex, West Midlands, Dyfed, County Durham.

Sea Defences

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if she will make a statement on her policy for maintaining sea defences in the Blackwater and Crouch estuaries;
	(2)  what her policy is on the payment of compensation to landowners affected by managed realignment;
	(3)  what estimate she has made of the cost of maintaining sea walls in (a) the Blackwater and Crouch estuaries and (b) Essex;
	(4)  if she will list the consents necessary to allow landowners to maintain sea walls;
	(5)  what assessment she has made of the state of repair of sea walls in the Maldon and East Chelmsford constituency;
	(6)  if she will list the length of sea defence in (a) the Maldon and East Chelmsford constituency and (b) Essex which falls into each of the four categories assigned by the Environment Agency for assessing the economic case for continued maintenance;
	(7)  if she will make a statement on the exit strategy for withdrawing from maintenance of uneconomic sea walls;
	(8)  if she will make a statement on the division of responsibility for maintenance of sea defences between land-owners, local authorities and the Environment Agency;
	(9)  if she will make a statement on the division of responsibility for maintenance of main drainage ditches between land-owners, local authorities and the Environment Agency.

Elliot Morley: Flood defence works funded by the taxpayer are supported on the basis of a full analysis of economic, environmental and social considerations and a full appraisal of benefits and costs. Doing nothing, maintaining the current line of defence and managed realignment are among the strategic options that Defra's guidance indicates should be considered before establishing a preferred flood management policy for any particular length of defence.
	The Environment Agency (EA), with Defra's backing, is now promoting a comprehensive series of Essex estuary strategies that will provide a better understanding of how future flood risk can be reduced in the face of pressures such as sea level rise. The strategies are being developed over a number of years. The Roach and Crouch Estuary Flood Management Strategy should be launched later this summer, while Blackwater and Colne Estuary Flood Management Strategy is due to go to public consultation later this year. A strategic study on the Stour and Orwell tidal estuaries has just been started.
	Where there is insufficient justification for the continued maintenance of an uneconomic sea wall, the EA will pursue a process to withdraw from publicly funded maintenance, as soon as possible. To ensure that the EA act in a reasonable way, they must pay due regard to my Department's policy guidance, and the Human Rights Act.
	The EA estimates that the overall cost of maintaining sea walls in the area covered by the Essex Local Flood Defence Committee in 2004–05 is £1.266 million. Approximately 24 per cent. of this is for maintenance works in the Maldon and East Chelmsford constituency.
	The EA's assessment of the state of repair of the sea walls in Maldon and East Chelmsford is limited to the Dengie Peninsula from Bradwell to Burnham. Data for the estuary sea walls has not yet been collected. However, visual inspections of these walls are undertaken on a regular basis and areas requiring repair are included in the annual maintenance programme.
	The EA will, over the coming years, be categorising its defences into the four categories to which the hon. Member refers in line with the Shoreline Management Plan, and the Estuary Strategies when these are complete. Although the primary responsibility for the maintenance of both sea defences and land drainage watercourses rests with the riparian landowner, the EA has permissive powers to maintain sea defences and has taken responsibility for the majority of them. Local authorities have similar permissive powers and maintain sea defences as part of their coast protection activities.
	To maintain sea walls landowners need the formal consent of the EA, in accordance with the Environment Agency Land Drainage and Sea Defence Byelaws, made under Schedule 25 (5) of the Water Resources Act 1991. Local authority consent may also be required depending on the nature and extent of the maintenance work to be carried out. Other consents such as assent from English Nature under the Wildlife and Countryside Act may also be necessary. Individuals should contact the EA in the first instance to establish what consents might be needed. Consent or permission from the owner of the sea wall will be required, where the person wishing to carry out maintenance is not already the owner of the specific sea wall to be maintained.
	Where there is no legal requirement to provide flood defence there is similarly no provision for compensation to offset the disadvantage suffered by any landowners that may be flooded as a result of a change in flood management practices. However, if a landowner were refused consent to maintain their own defence on the grounds that allowing them to protect their land would be contrary to the public interest, for example for nature conservation reasons, a case for compensation might arise. There is no general provision for compensation to landowners in cases where an operating authority stops maintaining a seawall and the EA's Exit Strategy should ensure that interested parties are fully aware of their options. Landowners and occupiers must be given enough notice to enable them to make business decisions for the future.

Sustainable Development

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason she did not make her announcement of 21 April 2004 on sustainable development by means of a oral statement to the House.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 30 April 2004
	The Secretary of State announced the consultation 'Taking it on—developing UK sustainable development strategy together', on 21 April, to the House by means of a written statement.
	On the same day both the Secretary of State and I spoke at the launch event for the consultation. We were delighted to be joined by ministerial colleagues: Charles Clarke, the Secretary of State for Education and Skills; Hilary Benn, the Secretary of State for International Development; Bill Rammell of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Angela Smith of the Northern Ireland Office, Yvette Cooper of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Carwyn Jones from the Welsh Assembly Government; as well as Jonathon Porritt, the Chair of the Sustainable Development Commission and Klaus Topfer, the Executive Director of the UN Environmental Programme.
	We are greatly looking forward to considering the responses we receive to the consultation. The consultation closes on 31 July 2004.

EU Directives

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had recently with the industries concerned in the implications of the introduction of the (a) Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment and (b) End of Life Vehicles directives.

Elliot Morley: The Government has been in ongoing talks with affected stakeholders on both of these Directives.
	The second consultation on implementation of the WEEE Directive concluded in March. 219 responses were received, and a summary of these can be found at  www.dti.gov.uk/sustainability. Further, the Government recently completed a series of large workshops, in eight UK regions, to raise awareness amongst stakeholders. The Government is continuing discussions with all stakeholders in frequent meetings with industry.
	The last of 4 public consultations on the ELV Directive closed on 30 March. The Consultation Document set out the Government's proposals for a system, drawn up after extensive discussions with the industry sectors involved, to meet the "free take-back" and recycling requirements of the Directive. 65 responses to the consultation were received. These are now being assessed with a view to finalising the Regulations before presentation to Parliament.

Water Companies

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which water companies have been found to have been providing water not fit for human consumption in each year since 1997; and what action was taken against them.

Elliot Morley: It is an offence under section 70 of the Water Industry Act 1991 for a water company to supply water unfit for human consumption, subject to a due diligence defence. The meaning of water "unfit for human consumption" is not defined in the Act and is a matter for the courts to decide on a case-by-case basis. It is usually taken to mean that the water has caused ill health or is rejected for drinking by consumers on the grounds of taste, smell or appearance.
	All incidents affecting drinking water quality are investigated by the Drinking Water Inspectorate and proceedings are instituted as appropriate. Since 1997 10 companies have been prosecuted for supplying water unfit for human consumption in respect of 29 separate incidents, with six further incidents taken into consideration. Eight companies have also been cautioned in respect of 16 incidents.
	
		
			  Date of incident Date of court case  Company  Offence 
		
		
			 20 February 1997 20 March 1998 Yorkshire Water Section 70 Supply of water unfit (discoloured) 
			 6 May 1997 5 November 1998 North West Section 70 Supply of water unfit (discoloured) 
			 16 May 1997 1 April 1998 Dwr Cymru Section 70 Supply of water unfit (discoloured) 
			 12 June 1997 10 June 1998 Dwr Cymru Section 70 Supply of water unfit (discoloured) 
			 24 July 1997 26 January 2000 Thames Water Section 70 supply of water unfit (discoloured) 
			 25 July 1997 15 July 1998 Dwr Cymru Section 70 Supply of water unfit (low pH & discoloured) 
			 31 July 1997 19 October 1998 Severn Trent Section 70 Supply of water unfit (discoloured) 
			 1 October 1997 5 October 1998 Northumbrian Water Section 70 Supply of water unfit (discoloured) 
			 22 October 1997 17 May 1999 South West Section 70 supply of water unfit (discoloured) 
			 31 October 1997 6 April 1999 South West Section 70 Supply of water unfit (discoloured) 
			 14 November 1997 15 November 1999 North West Section 70 supply of water unfit (discoloured) 
			 15 December 1997 23 April 1999 Severn Trent Section 70 Supply of water unfit (discoloured) 
			 16 December 1997 5 January 1999 Anglian Section 70 Supply of water unfit (discoloured) 
			 18 December 1997 3 November 1999 North West Section 70 supply of water unfit (discoloured) 
			 19 December 1997 11 January 1999 Anglian Section 70 Supply of water unfit (untreated river water) 
			 29 January 1998 16 August 1999 South East Section 70 supply of water unfit (discoloured) 
			 6 March 1998 5 November 1999 South East Section 70 supply of water unfit (discoloured) 
			 21 April 1998 6 October 2000 North West Section 70 supply of water unfit (discoloured) 
			 8 May 1998 1 June 1998 2 July 1998 5 November 1998   10 December 2000   Yorkshire Water Section 70 supply of water unfit (discoloured) (Four separate incidents) 
			 June/July 1998 12 March 2001 Mid Kent Water Section 70 supply of water unfit (discoloured) 
			 13 December 1998 25 January 2000 North West Section 70 supply of water unfit (discoloured) 
			 13 January 1999 13 October 2000 North West Section 70 supply of water unfit (taste and odour) 
			 February 1999 11 January 2002 Yorkshire Section 70 supply of water unfit (discoloured) 
			 July 2000 18 June 2001 Dwr Cymru Cyf Section 70 supply of water unfit (discoloured) 
			 28 August 2000 5 September 2001 Anglian Section 70 supply of water unfit (discoloured) 
			 3 April 2002 26 March 2004 Anglian Section 70 supply of water unfit (taste)

Water Companies

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what checks are made to ensure that the water companies provide water that is fit for human consumption; and how often they are made.

Elliot Morley: Water companies in England and Wales have a duty to supply wholesome water. The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2000, or in Wales the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2001 set out the numbers and types of samples that water companies must take to fulfil this duty. One of the roles of the Drinking Water Inspectorate is to ensure that water companies carry out the requisite checks. During 2002 more than 2,973,500 regulatory tests were carried out, of which 99.87 per cent. demonstrated compliance with the relevant water quality standards. The Drinking Water Inspectorate investigates all incidents affecting water quality which includes an assessment of additional samples taken to determine water quality.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Big Ben

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission on which dates Big Ben has (a) shown an incorrect time and (b) failed to sound since 1 May 1994.

Archy Kirkwood: Big Ben is the name of the hour bell of the Great Clock rather than of the clock itself. Accuracy adjustments, usually within one or two seconds, are undertaken three times a week. Variations of this nature are caused by changes in temperature. The clock has been stopped for repair purposes for four periods since 1994 and work on the quarter chimes has taken place on seven occasions. In the latter cases the clock was not stopped.
	The most recent failure of the quarter chimes took place on 29 April and was caused by an internal stress fracture affecting the brake release shaft. It is intended to install the new shaft during the evening of 8 May, when the hour strike brake release shaft, fly fan and other components will be examined for any similar problem by a specialist company.

Official Report

Andrew Dismore: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission if he will make arrangements to permit hon. Members to proof read the Hansard report of their speeches made in Westminster Hall in the Hansard office above the Chamber; and if he will make a statement.

Archy Kirkwood: The Editor of the Official Report appreciates that some hon. Members may have been inconvenienced by the need to move staff who report Westminster Hall proceedings to offices at 7 Millbank. He will make arrangements as soon as possible for Members to read Westminster Hall speeches in the Hansard offices in the Palace of Westminster before publication.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Solicitor-General whether she discussed with other ministerial colleagues a draft of the Attorney General's legal opinion on the legality of military action against Iraq prior to his presentation of the opinion to the Cabinet.

Harriet Harman: It is the established practice not to disclose details of internal discussions between Ministers. This information is withheld in accordance with exemption 2 of Part 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Unexplained Infant Deaths

Paul Burstow: To ask the Solicitor General what steps the Government has taken since the statement on 20 January, Official Report, column 1215, on unexplained infant deaths, to (a) identify civil cases and (b) learn from these cases; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: The process of identifying prosecutions which may be affected by the Appeal Court's judgment in the appeal against conviction of Angela Cannings has been completed. Since the Appeal Court's judgment on 19 January the 300 relevant cases have been identified, of which 86 involve defendants in custody. There are three stages to the review process. To date, 167 cases have been reviewed and I will be in a position to tell the House the outcome of those reviews very shortly.
	Of the 16 ongoing prosecutions which may have been affected by the Cannings judgment, all have been reviewed and two have been discontinued. A Hampshire case was discontinued before trial and a Coventry case was discontinued before a retrial.
	Any lessons to be learnt from the review will be considered at the conclusion of the review process.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Sub Judice Rule

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Leader of the House if he will bring forward proposals for amendment of the House's resolution on matters sub judice to permit parliamentary questions and early day motions to be tabled concerning cases before the Special Immigration Appeals Commission concerning withdrawal of UK nationality in circumstances where the case has become substantially delayed and is unlikely to be heard in the immediate future; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Hain: I have no plans to do so, though I am willing to consider suggestions for change on this, as on other matters. I understand that the particular issue to which the hon. Member refers has been resolved.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Free Television Licence

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of how many eligible senior citizens over the age of 75 in Northern Ireland did not avail themselves of the free television licence in 2003.

Estelle Morris: These figures are unavailable. However, I understand that for the year to 31 March 2004, 86,493 free licences for people over 75 were issued in Northern Ireland. Also, the BBC runs regular publicity campaigns in Northern Ireland, which receive widespread press coverage, to encourage people to take up the concession.

Departmental Annual Report

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much the production of her Department's latest annual report cost; how many copies were printed; how many copies of it were sold at its cover price; to whom copies of the report have been provided free of charge; and how many copies were provided free of charge.

Richard Caborn: The information requested is as follows.
	1. The design, typesetting, production and printing of this year's annual report was £57,000
	2. 1,500 copies were printed.
	3. 700 copies are to be sold at cover price of £26
	4. Remaining copies for media, NDPBs, visitors to DCMS and DCMS staff (two copies for each of 28 Divisions)

Libraries (Oldham, West and Royton)

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money has been spent on the digitisation of content in libraries in Oldham, West and Royton since 1997.

Estelle Morris: This information is not held centrally.
	The New Opportunities Fund £50 million Digitisation of Learning Materials Programme has delivered 150 projects across the UK to enable resources which support learning of all kinds held in libraries as well as museums, archives and other public-sector institutions, to be made available online through the People's Network and the National Grid for Learning. This initiative has created a body of material containing over 2 million images, tens of thousands of sound and video clips and documents and over 1,000 learning packages. All projects can be accessed via the EnrichUK portal at http://www.enrichuk.net
	Information on grants awarded to individual local authorities and their expenditure can be obtained from the relevant authority.

Parliamentary Questions

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) Ordinary Written and (b) Named Day Questions her Department received in (i) 2002–03 and (ii) this parliamentary session up to the most recent date for which figures are available, broken down by month.

Richard Caborn: The information requested is as follows:
	
		2002–03 Session
		
			  Named day Ordinary written 
		
		
			 November 2002 39 112 
			 December 2002 28 52 
			 January 2003 24 114 
			 February 2003 11 105 
			 March 2003 14 116 
			 April 2003 10 110 
			 May 2003 16 153 
			 June 2003 18 150 
			 July 2003 6 104 
			 August 2003 0 0 
			 September 2003 8 68 
			 October 2003 6 69 
			 November 2003 22 63 
			 Total 202 1,216 
		
	
	
		2003–04 Session
		
			  Named day Ordinary written 
		
		
			 November 2003 1 37 
			 December 2003 12 105 
			 January 2004 23 84 
			 February 2004 9 106 
			 March 2004 20 160 
			 April 2004 13 65 
			 Total 78 557 
		
	
	These figures exclude those questions either withdrawn by the Member or transferred to another Department.

Parliamentary Questions

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of (a) Ordinary Written Questions to her Department were answered within five sitting days of tabling and (b) Questions for a Named Day received a substantive answer on that day in (i) 2002–03 and (ii) this parliamentary session up to the most recent date for which figures are available, broken down by month.

Richard Caborn: The information requested is as follows:
	
		2002–03 Session
		
			  Named Day Ordinary Written 
			  Number answered on time Percentage Number answered within 5 sitting days Percentage 
		
		
			 November 2002 25 64.10 50 43.86 
			 December 2002 9 32.14 20 40.82 
			 January 2003 11 45.83 89 74.79 
			 February 2003 9 69.23 58 56.31 
			 March 2003 9 69.23 79 65.29 
			 April 2003 3 30.00 37 32.17 
			 May 2003 9 60.00 39 27.86 
			 June 2003 8 44.44 96 61.15 
			 July 2003 3 50.00 50 51.02 
			 August 2003 0 0 0 0 
			 September 2003 3 37.50 25 37.31 
			 October 2003 5 83.33 47 56.63 
			 November 2003 18 81.82 52 89.66 
		
	
	
		2003–04 Session
		
			  Named Day Ordinary Written 
			  Number answered on time Percentage Number answered within 5 sitting days Percentage 
		
		
			 November 2003 1 25.00 28 75.68 
			 December 2003 6 66.67 73 69.52 
			 January 2004 16 69.57 61 70.93 
			 February 2004 6 66.67 71 61.74 
			 March 2004 14 63.64 131 80.37 
			 April 2004 11 84.62 32 52.46

Sporting Contacts (Ban)

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 24 March 2004, Official Report, column 876W, on sporting contacts (ban), whether, on 28 October 1997, Ministers had the power to invoke a ban on sporting contact with other countries taking place outside the UK.

Richard Caborn: In October 1997, as now, Ministers did not have specific powers to prevent sports teams travelling abroad.

Tourism

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the work of regional development agencies in developing tourism in Oldham, West and Royton.

Richard Caborn: The North West Development Agency (NWDA) is working closely with 'Marketing Manchester', the nominated Destination Management Organisation (DMO) for Manchester. The new DMOs are, in effect, smaller versions of tourist boards. They aim to ensure a strong visitor and market focus to all that is done within the region and strengthen the connection between businesses and other organisations in the tourism sector.

TRANSPORT

A13

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to (a) improve and (b) fund improvements to the A13 Sadlers Farm Junction in Benfleet, Essex.

David Jamieson: The junction at Sadlers Farm between the A13 and the A130 (neither of which is a trunk road at that point) is in the form of a ring roundabout.
	Following a review of the transport problems in the South Essex area, Essex county council consider that the junction now requires upgrading to allow for the greater volume of traffic that is using the junction since it was built in 1988.
	It is up to Essex county council to submit, through the Local Transport Plan process, details of a new design which has been appraised in accordance with Government guidelines and which will deal with forecast levels of traffic. This assessment will then be used by the Department for Transport to consider whether there is a case for funding the scheme.

Explosives (Detection)

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent by his Department and its predecessors on research into new methods of detecting explosives on board ships before they dock in the UK.

David Jamieson: The Department funds a £1.4 million research and development programme into technologies and methods used in Transport Security. It would not be appropriate to provide details, but much of this budget goes towards explosives detection technologies.

Foreign Registered Vehicles

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of foreign registered (a) cars and (b) other vehicles in the UK on (i) permanent and (ii) temporary import; and how many he estimates have exceeded the maximum stay period.

David Jamieson: Since January 2003, 116,000 new vehicles and 167,000 used vehicles have been permanently imported into the UK and registered at DVLA. A breakdown by type of vehicle is not available.
	Vehicles brought into the UK on a temporary basis are exempt from UK licensing and registration requirements if they are here for less than six months in any 12. No record is maintained of these vehicles and consequently no figures are available on the numbers of temporary imports.

Foreign Registered Vehicles

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures are taken to ensure that vehicles on temporary import are unable to exceed their maximum stay period; and what measures are taken against those vehicles that have exceeded this period.

David Jamieson: Vehicles on temporary import are exempt from UK licensing and registration requirements, providing they are in this country for less than six months in any 12 and are registered and licensed in their country of origin. If at any time a vehicle used here on foreign plates is stopped by the police, the driver is responsible for demonstrating that he/she is entitled to use it in the UK.
	Keepers of foreign registered vehicles who fail to observe these requirements are subject to the same enforcement and prosecution procedures as UK motorists.
	DVLA is currently working with the police and local authorities to gather information on temporary imports to clarify the extent of the evasion problem and to introduce effective counter measures.

Potters Bar Accident

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on recent developments in the inquiries into the Potters Bar railway accident.

Alistair Darling: Both the British Transport Police (BTP) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) continue to be involved in the investigation. On 18 March 2004 the lead role in the joint investigation transferred from the BTP to the HSE because of HSE's expertise in the areas in which the investigation is now concentrating. However because the investigation has not yet concluded, the prosecuting authorities have not yet come to a decision on prosecutions.

Rail Projects

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many rail projects have been cancelled as being without a sound business case; and how many have been re-scoped since publication of the Strategic Rail Authority's Strategic Plan 2003.

Alistair Darling: No major rail projects have been cancelled or re-scoped since the publication of the Strategic Rail Authority's Strategic Plan 2003 because they are without a sound business case. Some changes have been made to the West Coast Route Modernisation Scheme and to the scheme to upgrade the power supplies in the south-east. These are intended to provide substantially the same level of outputs at less cost.

Road Noise

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has spent on research into quieter road surfaces in each of the last 10 years.

David Jamieson: The Highways Agency has undertaken research into various aspects of quieter surfaces in the past 10 years, including the measurement of noise characteristics and durability of proprietary surfacing materials within their overall programme of research into improved road construction techniques. Annual expenditure on the development of quieter road surfaces is not available because most of the projects last for more than one year. However, total expenditure on research projects related to road surface noise characteristics completed since 1993 is around £3 million.

Road Safety

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) pedestrians, (b) cyclists, (c) drivers and (d) car occupants have been (i) injured and (ii) killed in each of the last six years for which figures are available in each Greater London borough.

David Jamieson: holding answer 27 April 2004
	A table showing the information requested for the years 1997 to 2002, which is the latest year for which data are available, has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Road Safety

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) percentage and (b) number of reported motorway traffic incidents involved a heavy goods vehicle with left hand drive in each of the last three years; and what percentage of those incidents were attributed to poor visibility or blind spots on such vehicles.

David Jamieson: The information is not available. From January 2005 data relating to heavy goods vehicles with left-hand drive will be collected separately using the STATS19 accident report format. This means the information will be available from June 2006 onwards.

Sea Stores

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department's responsibility is for the Sea Stores building at Yate, South Gloucestershire; for what purpose the building is used; and if he will make a statement on its future use and ownership.

David Jamieson: The Highways Agency owns the land and the on site storage facilities on Kennedy Way at Yate (the "Sea Stores" site). The site is the central facility for the co-ordination of the bulk purchase and storage of the agency's motorway communications equipment, which serves the national motorway and trunk road network.
	As part of the agency's sound business practice, the future use and ownership of the site and its operation remains under continual review.

Transport Energy Best Practice Programme

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent on advertising the activities of the Transport Energy Best Practice programme, broken down by (a) year and (b) activity.

David Jamieson: The Department, through the Energy Saving Trust, spent £2.0 million in 2003–04 marketing the range of Transport Energy programmes, rising to £2.6 million in 2004–05. These activities include media events, magazine advertising, newsletters and guides, event and award sponsorship and presentations at exhibitions and seminars. It also maintains a dedicated website, www.transportenergy.org.uk and a central call centre.
	The Best Practice programme is promoted as part of these activities but it is not possible to apportion specific marketing costs.

Transport Statistics (Oldham, West and Royton)

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of new cycle lanes have been provided using public funds in Oldham, West and Royton since 1997.

Kim Howells: A total of 3.8 miles of new cycle lanes has been provided using public funds in Oldham, West and Royton since 1997.

Transport Statistics (Oldham, West and Royton)

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many rural bus services in Oldham, West and Royton are supported by rural bus grants.

Kim Howells: Rural Bus Subsidy Grant (RBSG) is paid to local transport authorities; in the case of Oldham West and Royton this is the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (PTE). It is for the authority to decide which services should be supported with the grant. We understand from the PTE that no bus services in Oldham, West and Royton are provided by RBSG as this area is predominantly urban.

Transport Statistics (Oldham, West and Royton)

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of priority bus lanes have been created in Oldham, West and Royton since 1997.

Kim Howells: There have been 1.65 miles of priority bus lanes introduced in Oldham, West and Royton since 1997.

Transport Statistics (Oldham, West and Royton)

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the effect of investment in railway improvements over the next 10 years upon residents of Oldham, West and Royton.

Kim Howells: Residents of Oldham, West and Royton will benefit from the new TransPennine Express franchise, which commenced in February. The franchise secures investment of around £260 million, which will include the introduction of a new fleet of 100 mph diesel trains leading to increased capacity, improved service quality and performance across the region. A new Northern franchise, which will include local and regional services through Oldham, is out for tender. Work continues on the West Coast Main Line upgrade, which will see reduction in journey times along the route and increases in service frequency.

Tyres

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the availability of energy efficient tyres and the number (a) produced at present and (b) likely to be produced in the future.

David Jamieson: The major tyre manufacturers all produce tyres that offer energy savings compared to other tyres in their ranges. But, the Government does not have detailed data relating to the production and availability of these more energy efficient tyres.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Council Housing (South Ribble)

David Borrow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on how the change in the level of council funding for housing has affected the residents of South Ribble since 1997.

Nick Raynsford: Since 1997 allocations of capital funding to local authorities for housing purposes have risen consistently by about 15 per cent. per annum on average. This includes the Major Repairs Allowance we introduced in 2001–02 specifically for the improvement of local authority stock alongside the Decent Homes standard which sets out minimum standards to be met by 2010. South Ribble transferred its housing stock to New Progress Housing Association in 1994 for £32.3 million. South Ribble's allocation for 2003–04 totalled £1.8 million.

Council Tax (Greater London)

Simon Hughes: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the percentage council tax change, including all precepts, has been in Greater London, broken down by borough, in each of the last five years.

Nick Raynsford: The information requested is tabled as follows.
	
		Percentage change in average (Band D 2 adults) council tax area
		
			  2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 London area 6.4 8.1 6.4 18.2 5.8 
			 City of London 3.9 4.1 7.0 19.6 4.3 
			   
			 Inner London  
			 Camden 1.1 4.8 5.9 15.0 3.7 
			 Greenwich 0.0 3.2 4.7 14.1 4.8 
			 Hackney 6.6 9.7 10.9 13.2 5.4 
			 Hammersmith and   Fulham 6.2 5.1 2.5 13.4 5.5 
			 Islington -2.7 -1.1 -1.1 21.0 5.5 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 7.3 11.9 10.6 17.3 5.4 
			 Lambeth 2.2 13.0 9.3 22.8 5.6 
			 Lewisham 9.7 9.8 9.2 13.0 5.5 
			 Southwark 4.6 6.4 5.6 8.9 3.5 
			 Tower Hamlets 7.8 7.4 4.6 17.2 5.4 
			 Wandsworth 7.4 13.6 -11.7 45.1 2.9 
			 Westminster 7.1 9.3 8.5 28.1 6.1 
			   
			 Outer London  
			 Barking and Dagenham 6.3 8.2 7.4 15.0 5.9 
			 Barnet 7.1 7.3 4.7 23.9 7.0 
			 Bexley 6.9 9.9 6.3 17.5 7.5 
			 Brent 9.0 8.1 9.8 22.5 6.1 
			 Bromley 9.8 12.3 6.5 10.6 6.9 
			 Croydon 6.5 2.0 3.6 27.3 7.3 
			 Ealing 7.5 8.9 7.5 25.9 7.0 
			 Enfield 8.8 11.0 7.9 17.6 6.3 
			 Haringey 3.8 3.0 2.4 19.4 7.3 
			 Harrow 8.3 10.1 7.5 21.4 4.1 
			 Havering 8.0 12.4 8.1 17.3 5.6 
			 Hillingdon 7.9 10.6 8.9 16.2 5.4 
			 Hounslow 8.1 11.0 7.0 15.5 7.0 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 8.8 9.7 11 9 15.3 7.1 
			 Merton 10.2 9.8 6.9 12.3 5.8 
			 Newham 9.0 7.7 6.9 13.6 5.4 
			 Redbridge 8.1 7.3 6.9 16.0 5.9 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames 8.9 9.9 9.9 15.6 5.6 
			 Sutton 6.3 9.7 9.4 15.0 7.4 
			 Waltham Forest 4.4 5.8 5.5 19.6 6.3

Council Tax (Greater London)

Simon Hughes: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the level of council tax receipts collected by local authorities was in Greater London, irrespective of the financial year to which they relate, broken down by borough, in each year from 1996–97 to 2002–03; and what the population of each authority was in each year.

Nick Raynsford: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 26 March 2004, Official Report, column. 1112–3W for information on the amounts of council tax received by each London borough in each financial year, irrespective of the financial year to which they relate, from 1996–97 to 2002–03.
	The latest population estimates for years 1996 to 2002 are in the following table. Population estimates for 1992 to 2000 are subject to revision, and revised estimates are due to be published later in the spring.
	
		Estimated mid-year resident population 1996 to 2002 for Greater London and each London borough -- £000
		
			  1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 Greater London (including City of London) 6,901.3 6,927.7 6,968.8 7,041.3 7,104.4 7,307.9 7,355.4 
			 Greater London (excluding City of London) 6,895.7 6,922.1 6,962.7 7,034.8 7,097.5 7,300.5 7,347.5 
			 City of London 5.5 5.6 6.1 6.5 6.9 7.4 7.8 
			 Barking and Dagenham 157.0 157.8 158.9 161.7 162.8 165.9 167.3 
			 Barnet 299.4 300.9 304.6 309.2 310.9 320.1 320.4 
			 Bexley 217.4 215.4 216.6 217.1 218.4 218.8 218.8 
			 Brent 249.5 252.3 255.2 255.8 259.2 270.4 272.4 
			 Bromley 290.0 291.5 290.5 293.9 294.6 296.2 296.8 
			 Camden 182.6 182.0 182.3 185.6 191.4 203.0 207.0 
			 Croydon 326.6 327.9 329.9 328.6 330.3 335.7 336.6 
			 Ealing 289.6 290.3 292.1 297.3 298.4 308.1 308.4 
			 Enfield 262.8 266.0 267.9 270.0 272.0 277.7 281.8 
			 Greenwich 208.1 209.1 209.4 209.7 211.9 217.8 221.4 
			 Hackney 190.6 188.3 190.7 195.2 199.1 207.8 210.2 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 153.2 152.9 153.3 157.6 160.6 169.9 173.3 
			 Haringey 209.3 212.5 212.1 215.1 215.5 221.9 225.1 
			 Harrow 205.8 205.4 206.4 206.1 206.9 210.5 211.6 
			 Havering 227.0 225.9 225.1 225.6 225.0 224.7 224.2 
			 Hillingdon 239.4 240.1 240.7 242.1 242.9 245.9 246.5 
			 Hounslow 204.1 208.0 209.8 211.5 211.4 216.4 216.6 
			 Islington 173.6 174.1 173.5 173.2 174.7 179.8 181.0 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 136.0 136.8 139.0 143.4 150.4 162.6 165.1 
			 Kingston upon Thames 137.5 139.4 141.6 144.1 145.5 149.3 150.2 
			 Lambeth 258.6 257.9 259.2 262.5 264.2 274.2 271.9 
			 Lewisham 241.7 242.1 245.3 247.1 247.8 254.9 253.8 
			 Merton 179.4 180.1 180.9 183.0 185.5 191.5 192.3 
			 Newham 228.2 228.5 231.6 236.7 240.7 250.1 254.0 
			 Redbridge 231.4 233.4 236.1 235.9 237.5 242.3 244.0 
			 Richmond upon Thames 166.2 167.4 167.9 170.5 170.8 174.5 174.4 
			 Southwark 232.1 233.2 236.4 239.3 242.4 251.1 251.3 
			 Sutton 175.0 176.1 177.2 178.4 179.3 181.6 180.9 
			 Tower Hamlets 180.3 184.4 187.1 191.4 193.9 201.6 206.8 
			 Waltham Forest 219.5 218.9 219.2 219.2 218.7 222.5 223.2 
			 Wandsworth 257.7 256.1 254.5 256.7 258.3 267.5 269.3 
			 Westminster 166.3 167.1 167.5 171.2 176.3 186.4 190.6 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures may not add due to rounding.
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics.

Council Tax (Greater London)

Simon Hughes: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what percentage of council tax was collected within Greater London, broken down by borough, in each year since 1997; and what the total cost of administering council tax collection was in each year.

Nick Raynsford: Tabled as follows are the reported in-year council tax collection rates for each London borough and the City of London for each year from 1997–98 to 2002–03. Figures for 2003–04 are not yet available. The collection of council tax continues after the end of the financial year to which it relates. This means that the percentage of council tax ultimately collected for any financial year is greater than that shown in the table.
	
		In-year council tax collection rates(3) -- Percentage
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Inner London   
			 City of London 97.5 97.4 98.2 98.3 98.4 97.6 
			 Camden 88.5 91.1 92.3 92:7 93.5 92.7 
			 Greenwich 92.2 92.2 91.3 92.2 92.0 92.8 
			 Hackney 78.1 74.5 67.9 67.8 74.0 79.5 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 89.1 92.3 93.2 93.8 94.5 95.1 
			 Islington 88.3 88.9 90.2 90.0 91.5 88.4 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 94.9 95.2 95.6 96.0 95.6 95.6 
			 Lambeth 80.3 80.3 84.4 82.0 86.5 90.1 
			 Lewisham 90.6 90.6 92.0 93.3 93.7 93.7 
			 Southwark 81.9 81.3 80.2 87.1 90.2 92.0 
			 Tower Hamlets 86.7 88.1 88.3 89.3 90.7 91.8 
			 Wandsworth 90.9 91.4 92.8 94.0 94.5 94.8 
			 Westminster 92.6 93.7 92.9 91.8 93.0 93.5 
			
			 Average Inner London 88.0 88.5 88.7 89.6 91.1 91.9 
			
			 Outer London   
			 Barking and Dagenham 95.0 95.3 94.7 94.0 94.5 91.8 
			 Barnet 95.1 95.6 95.8 96.2 96.2 96.2 
			 Bexley 94.5 94.2 94.9 95.4 95.7 96.0 
			 Brent 89.5 91.4 90.4 92.0 91.1 89.5 
			 Bromley 97.4 97.0 96.3 96.6 96.5 96.4 
			 Croydon 92.4 92.8 91.7 91.9 93.9 94.7 
			 Ealing 94.8 94.9 94.4 93.4 94.1 94.6 
			 Enfield 91.8 93.5 93.7 94.4 94.6 94.6 
			 Haringey 82.3 85.0 85.1 88.8 90.1 92.5 
			 Harrow 96.9 96.8 96.2 98.2 986. 97.2 
			 Havering 97.7 96.8 95.6 96.4 96.1 95.9 
			 Hillingdon 95.0 95.7 95.0 95.6 96.5 95.2 
			 Hounslow 91.9 91.4 93.4 94.0 93.9 93.8 
			 Kingston upon Thames 93.9 91.9 93.7 94.0 95.9 96.5 
			 Merton 95.5 95.1 95.2 95.7 95.6 96.5 
			 Newham 82.0 83.1 83.3 84.9 86.8 90.0 
			 Redbridge 96.1 96.1 95.7 95.5 95.7 95.7 
			 Richmond upon Thames 97.3 96.2 96.7 97.0 97.6 97.6 
			 Sutton 97.4 97.0 97.3 97.3 97.3 97.3 
			 Waltham Forest 91.8 87.8 87.7 88.0 90.6 93.0 
			
			 Average Outer London 93.8 93.9 93.7 94.3 94.9 95.0 
			
			 Average Greater London 91.8 92.1 92.1 92.8 93.7 94.1 
		
	
	(3) Amount of council tax due received by the end of the financial year as a percentage of the net collectable debit for the year.
	Source:
	QRC4 returns
	Tabled as follows are the reported council tax collection costs for each London borough and the City of London for each year from 1997–98 to 2003–04.
	
		Council tax collection costs -- £000
		
			  1997–98 Outturn 1998–99 Outturn 1999–2000 Outturn 2000–01 Outturn 2001–02 Outturn 2002–03 Outturn 2003–04 Budgets 
		
		
			 Inner London
			 City of London 301 286 281 270 257 326 481 
			 Camden 2,143 2,052 1,737 2,116 2,170 2,323 2,904 
			 Greenwich 2,460 2,365 2,284 2,330 2,330 2,366 2,541 
			 Hackney 2,434 1,999 2,180 2,292 4,964 3,984 2,364 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 2,009 1,610 1,537 997 1,503 1,348 1,243 
			 Islington 1,822 1,786 1,442 156 1,662 2,117 2,375 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1,795 1,762 1,839 1,996 1,831 1,719 1,962 
			 Lambeth 3,932 3,299 3,396 3,245 2,122 2,859 2,276 
			 Lewisham 2,439 2,543 2,356 2,518 2,522 2,685 5,118 
			 Southwark 3,276 3,324 3,647 3,482 3,792 4,010 4,280 
			 Tower Hamlets 2,069 2,435 2,150 2,037 1,951 1,904 1,956 
			 Wandsworth 1,662 1,685 1,658 1,461 1,771 2,004 2,007 
			 Westminster 2,265 2,205 2,455 2,190 2,066 2,543 2,584 
			 
			 Total Inner London 28,306 27,065 26,681 24,820 28,684 29,862 31,610 
			 
			 Outer London
			 Barking and Dagenham 887 820 869 810 809 861 1,018 
			 Barnet 1,597 1,711 1,977 1,822 2,040 2,177 2,489 
			 Bexley 625 548 536 475 515 452 718 
			 Brent 2,315 2,199 2,291 3,083 390 291 3,170 
			 Bromley 1,459 1,465 1,213 1,180 1,221 937 784 
			 Croydon 2,509 2,622 2,688 2,933 3,032 2,772 3,683 
			 Ealing 2,651 2,520 2,635 2,888 3,089 3,370 4,293 
			 Enfield 2,132 1,697 1,709 1,709 1,789 1,940 1,037 
			 Haringey 2,571 2,843 2,666 2,534 2,460 2,464 2,888 
			 Harrow 1,126 1,124 876 860 811 709 673 
			 Havering 1,731 2,052 2,627 2,554 1,555 1,965 2,514 
			 Hillingdon 1,830 1,891 1,865 2,053 2,221 1,737 2,242 
			 Hounslow 1,717 1,833 1,790 1,678 2,183 2,245 2,338 
			 Kingston upon Thames 681 741 801 963 985 1,198 1,131 
			 Merton 1,662 1,707 1,677 1,856 1,429 1,913 2,213 
			 Newham 1,622 1,911 1,620 1,398 1,749 1,817 1,705 
			 Redbridge 2,041 1,994 1,868 1,725 1,800 1,832 1,827 
			 Richmond upon Thames 1,251 1,170 1,082 1,146 1,001 1,426 1,525 
			 Sutton 792 681 658 728 860 883 902 
			 Waltham Forest 2,367 2,522 2,169 1,879 2,478 3,178 2,968 
			 
			 Total Outer London 33,566 34,051 33,617 34,274 32,417 34,167 40,118 
			 
			 Total Greater London 61,872 61,116 60,298 59,094 61,101 64,029 71,728 
		
	
	Source:
	RO6 returns (1997–98 to 2002–03) and RA returns (2003–04)

Departmental Expenditure (Entertainment)

David Laws: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his latest estimate is of the amount spent by his Department on official entertainment in each year from 1996–97 to 2004–05.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister was created following the machinery of Government changes on 29 May 2002. The figures in the following table show how much the Office spent on official entertainment in 2002–3 and 2003–4. Details of the planned expenditure for 2004–5 are not yet available, but are expected to be on similar lines to earlier years.
	
		Entertainment
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 2002–03 3,350 
			 2003–04 1,869 
		
	
	All expenditure on official entertainment is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on the principles set out in "Government Accounting".
	The expenditure figures for the Government Offices and the Office's executive agencies for official entertainment are not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost

Elected Regional Assemblies

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will give the (a) total and (b) individual costs of the public hearings on elected regional assemblies held in (i) Sheffield, (ii) Newcastle, (iii) Hull, (iv) Liverpool, (v) Kendal, (vi) Halifax and (vii) Middlesbrough.

Nick Raynsford: The total cost of the seven hearings mentioned is £66,800. The latest costs of the individual hearings are in the following table:
	
		
			 Location £ 
		
		
			 Sheffield 11,600 
			 Newcastle 10,900 
			 Hull 7,600 
			 Liverpool 13,800 
			 Kendal 6,500 
			 Halifax 5,100 
			 Middlesbrough 11,300

Energy Efficiency Grants

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much was spent on grants to aid energy efficiency in each year since 1997.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	Defra currently provides grants to aid energy efficiency through four main routes:
	The Carbon Trust—to support and promote energy efficiency and low carbon innovation for business and public sector;
	The Energy Saving Trust—to support and promote energy efficiency in the domestic sector;
	The Community Energy programme—capital and development funding to refurbish existing and install new community heating schemes;
	The Warm Front programme—to provide energy efficiency measures to the vulnerable.
	The funding made available by my Department and its predecessors to support and promote efficiency measures in each year since 1997 (including the Energy Saving Trust and the Carbon Trust) is of the scale set out in the following table.
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1997–98 110.5 
			 1998–99 109.0 
			 1999–2000 112.0 
			 2000–01 119.0 
			 2001–02 256 
			 2002–03 225 
			 2003–04 (4)243 
		
	
	(4) Budget.
	These figures include the Energy Efficiency Best Practice programme, support for the Energy Saving Trust (from 1996), Fuel Poverty and for the Carbon Trust (from 1 April 2001). Energy Saving Trust funding for Scotland was devolved from 1 July 1999. The new Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (now marketed as the Warm Front Team) was launched in England in June 2000. Between 1991–1999, the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme covered the whole of Great Britain. Funding was devolved to Scotland in July 1999 and to Wales in April 2000.

Houses in Multiple Occupation

Jon Trickett: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the percentage of houses in multiple occupation in England and Wales which will fall within the scope of the mandatory licensing scheme in the Housing Bill.

Keith Hill: The 1996 English House Condition Survey estimates that there were approximately 543,000 Houses in Multiple Occupation in England and the National Assembly for Wales estimates that there are approximately 20,000 HMOs in Wales. It is estimated that about 120,000 HMOs in England and 5,000 in Wales will be subject to licensing under the mandatory scheme proposed in the Housing Bill. This will represent approximately 22.2 per cent. of the total HMO stock in England and Wales.

Local Authority Funding

Ann Winterton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much central funding was provided to local authorities in the (a) North West, (b) North East and (c) Yorkshire and the Humber regions in 2002–03.

Nick Raynsford: Central Government grant (a) provided to local authorities in the North West, North East and Yorkshire and the Humber regions in 2002–03 is tabled as follows:
	
		
			  Amount (£ million) 
		
		
			 North West 7,237 
			 North East 2,765 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 5,031 
		
	
	Source:
	2002–03 RS forms.
	(a) Includes Specific and special grants inside 'Aggregate External Finance', Police grant, Revenue support grant, Redistributed non-domestic rates.

Planning

Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether there is a time period after which a temporary structure is deemed to be permanent in respect of (a) planning legislation and (b) commencement of enforcement proceedings; and if he will make a statement.

Keith Hill: The rules governing temporary structures provided in connection with temporary uses of land are set out in Part 4 of Schedule 2 to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995. If such a structure were to remain on site after the temporary use had ended, it would be unlawful and could be the subject of enforcement action.

Planning

Helen Clark: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much the planning inspectorate has spent on external consultants, not including consultant inspectors, since 2002.

Keith Hill: Information is provided for financial years 2002–03 and 2003–04.
	
		£
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Consultants—non IT 477,206.65 541,424.91 
			 IT consultants 512,586.01 375,231.00 
			 E-business consultants 2,785,132.94 1,720,815.83 
			 Total 3,774,925.60 2,637,471.74

Planning

Helen Clark: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what mechanisms are in place to assess the effectiveness of the contribution made by external consultants, not including consultant inspectors, to the planning inspectorate.

Keith Hill: External consultants are engaged by The Planning Inspectorate when it is not possible to provide the required expertise from in-house resources. All consultants are contracted to undertake tasks relevant to the particular requirement and to deliver specific products.
	The effectiveness of the contribution made by external consultants is assessed through an ongoing process of performance measurement and sound contract management. This seeks to ensure that contractual obligations are met as efficiently and effectively as possible, quality products delivered to time, business objectives met and benefits realised.
	All projects are subject to Office of Government Commerce gateway Reviews.

Regional Assemblies

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many copies of (a) Your Say: A New Opportunity for the North East, (b) "Your Say: a New Opportunity for the North West", (c) "Your Say: A New Opportunity for Yorkshire and the Humber", (d) "Your Say: Business and Jobs", (e) "Your Say: Assembly Powers and Responsibilities" and (f) "Your Say: Housing, Planning and Transport" have been requested by members of the public in (i) the North East, (ii) the North West and (iii) Yorkshire and the Humber.

Nick Raynsford: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's free leaflet distributor has issued 6201 "A New Opportunity for the North East" leaflet, 6603 "A New Opportunity for the North West" and 2132 "A New Opportunity for Yorkshire and the Humber" to members of the public and organisations who have requested them.
	620 copies of "A New Opportunity for the North East" leaflet and of each individual fact sheet were given to attendees of the regional hearings in the North East.
	628 copies of "A New Opportunity for the North West" leaflet and of each individual fact sheet were given to attendees of the regional hearings in the North West.
	605 copies of "A New Opportunity for Yorkshire and the Humber" leaflet and of each individual fact sheet were given to attendees of the regional hearings in Yorkshire and the Humber.
	Copies of all this literature are also available upon request from the three northern Government Offices. However, requests for leaflets are not logged by Government Offices on an individual basis.

Scottish Power

Ann Winterton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he last met representatives of Scottish Power Plc; who was present; and what was on the agenda for discussion.

Yvette Cooper: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member on 5 May 2004.

Starter Homes Initiative (South Ribble)

David Borrow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on how the Starter Homes Initiative has affected the residents of South Ribble.

Keith Hill: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Bootle (Mr. Benton) on 29 April 2004, Official Report, column 1228W.

Sustainable Communities Plan (Milton Keynes/South Midlands)

Tim Boswell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what studies he has commissioned in connection with the Milton Keynes/South Midlands sustainable communities plan concerning (a) impacts on (i) stocks of aggregates, (ii)   flooding and (iii) water supply and (b) other environmental impacts.

Keith Hill: In July 2001 the Government, along with the three Regional Assemblies covering the Milton Keynes-South Midlands sub-region: East of England, East Midlands and South East, commissioned the Milton Keynes-South Midlands Study. This study considered in detail a range of issues, including the impact of growth on natural resources and the environment. Supporting the sub-regional study are more detailed local area assessments and further environmental assessments will be carried out as part of the Local Development Framework process. In addition work on these issues is being taken forward through the Inter-Regional board for Milton Keynes-South Midlands, where a Utilities sub-group and an Environment and Quality of Life sub-group have been established.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Community Events

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of (a) the impact of changes in the cost of public liability insurance on community events and (b) the ability of community organisations to pay for public liability insurance;
	(2)  what representations his Department has received from community organisations about changes in the cost of public liability insurance.

Fiona Mactaggart: I am aware of the problems being experienced by those in the voluntary and community sector, as a result of the volatility in the insurance market since 11 September 2001. It is deeply worrying that small groups of volunteers who are making a real contribution to their communities are being faced with such difficulty.
	The Active Community Unit in my Department set up the "Insurance Cover Working Group (ICWG)" to look into the situation and advise on practical solutions. A study was undertaken into the current position regarding the provision of insurance for the voluntary and community sector, including public indemnity liability, which made suggestions as to possible solutions.
	A response to these possible solutions will be made in May following close working with other Government Departments, as a number of initiatives are already being taken forward by the Government to understand better and tackle the difficulties being experienced. In that context, the Government welcomes the current study being undertaken by the Better Regulation Task Force on litigation and compensation. This work will contribute to the analysis of pressures in this area, as other studies have already, for example; The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) undertook a review of the operation of Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance (ELCI), and published a first stage report on 3 June 2003, and the second stage and final report on 4 December 2003. Following that initiative the DWP is at present holding a review of the requirement for Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance for Limited Companies that employ only their owner. Also, the Office of Fair Trading conducted a fact-finding study into the UK Liability Insurance reporting in June 2003, and the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA), is working to ensure that legal costs are proportionate and that meritorious claims are resolved quickly and at minimum cost.
	I am very much aware that the increasing costs for the provision of liability insurance have impacted on the ability of voluntary and community groups to deliver services and community events. Therefore the outcomes of the work across Government will have important implications for the Voluntary and Community Section (VCS) as practical solutions are being sought in partnership with the voluntary and community sector, the insurance industry, local authorities and government departments.

Animal Experiments

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government take to tackle intimidation of workers and firms providing services to companies and universities carrying out research on animals.

Caroline Flint: We have made a number of changes to strengthen the law to deal with extremists. The Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 strengthened police powers to deal with smaller, intimidatory protests and office occupations by extremists. The police are using these new powers effectively. A new police unit has been set up with Government funding to provide tactical guidance on policing extremists. The new unit complements work already going on in local forces and nationally.
	A National Forum on policing and prosecution of animal rights cases has been established in order to pull together individual areas of expertise within the police, Crown Prosecution Service and the courts to create a national strategic approach to dealing with animal rights extremists.
	We have produced guidance for security managers of companies who might be targeted by extremists, to help ensure their employees' personal safety. A ministerial committee is meeting regularly to look at the problem of animal rights extremism.

Animal Rights Activists

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to limit the activities of animal rights activists.

Caroline Flint: The Government are determined to ensure that business activities in this area are not prevented by the unlawful activities of a small number of people. A ministerial committee is meeting regularly to look at the problem of animal rights extremism.
	There are extensive powers available to the police in the general law. In addition we have made a number of changes to strengthen the law to deal with extremists. The Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 strengthened police powers to deal with smaller, intimidatory protests and office occupations by extremists. A new police unit has been set up with Government funding to provide tactical guidance on policing extremists. The new unit complements work going on in local forces and nationally.
	A National Forum on policing and prosecution of animal rights cases has been established in order to pull together individual areas of expertise within the police, Crown Prosecution Service and the courts to create a national strategic approach to dealing with animal rights extremists.
	We have produced guidance for security managers of companies who might be targeted by extremists, to help ensure their employees' personal safety.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been subject to antisocial behaviour orders in Wandsworth since 1 January 2002; and how many breaches of anti-social behaviour orders have resulted in court action in the London borough of Wandsworth since 1 January 2002.

Hazel Blears: Three Anti-social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) have been issued within the London borough of Wandsworth, as notified to the Home Office, from 1 January 2002 up to 31 December 2003 (latest available).
	Data on breaches of ASBOs are currently available up to December 2002. The Home Office Court Proceedings Database, from 1 January 2002 up to 31 December 2002, does not show any court proceedings for breaches of ASBOs in the London borough of Wandsworth.

Asylum Seekers

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact of section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 on female asylum seekers; and what assessment he has made of the number that are forced into prostitution.

Des Browne: Assessment of the impact of section 55 on female asylum seekers is integral to the close monitoring of the operation of the policy since implementation on 8 January 2003. As part of these arrangements the National Asylum Support Service maintains an open dialogue with the voluntary sector agencies, local government and other stakeholders. The Government have reviewed section 55 in the light of experience of its operation, the changing pattern of asylum applications since implementation and concerns raised about the impact of the policy.
	The Government believes that these arrangements for monitoring and reviewing the operation of section 55 and working with stakeholders, together with the statutory safeguards and the adjustments that have been made to section 55 processes, provide a balanced but firm policy that discourages economic migration, while continuing to offer refuge to those seeking asylum, and providing support for those who qualify or who are vulnerable.
	No evidence has been produced to indicate that female asylum seekers have been forced into prostitution as a result of section 55.

Dangerous Driving

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been prosecuted in each of the last 10 years for causing the death of a child whilst driving.

Caroline Flint: It is not possible to identify deaths involving children in the statistics collected centrally on prosecutions for causing death by dangerous driving etc as the details collected do not include the ages of the victims of such offences.

Drugs (Stalybridge and Hyde)

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in Stalybridge and Hyde are receiving drug treatment; and what public funds were spent on tackling drugs misuse in Stalybridge and Hyde in (a) 1997–98 and (b) 2003–04.

Caroline Flint: Stalybridge and Hyde is part of Tameside Drug Action Team. There were 733 people receiving drug treatment in Tameside in 2000–01. This is the latest available data. Data broken down by Drug Action Team for 2001–02 and 2002–03 have not yet been finalised and published.
	Breakdown of financial allocation to local constituencies is not available in the form requested as funding is allocated to Drug Action Team (DAT) area.
	The figure spent on tackling drug misuse in 1997–98 in West Pennine, which covered Oldham and Tameside, was £279,000. This was prior to the formation of the National Drugs Strategy, and this figure has been provided from locally held information.
	In 2003–04 the figures for Tameside as a whole were:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 Pooled Treatment 921,000 
			 Young People 169,000 
			 Building Safer Communities(5) 267,000 
			 DAT CAD 31,000 
			 DAT Development 40,000 
			 Throughcare and Aftercare 35,000 
			 Total 1,463,000 
		
	
	(5) Please note that the Building Safer Communities Fund is only partly spent on tackling drugs.
	In order to ensure consistency figures supplied are based on funding streams associated with the National Drug Strategy and are readily verifiable. These funding streams are specifically targeted at tackling the harm caused to individuals, families and communities by the misuse of drugs. Other mainstream funding is made available at a local level, this varies and both in amount and origin as a result it is not possible to provide robust financial information.

Emergency Services

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in each of the last 12 months police vehicles on emergency calls have contravened speed cameras, broken down by police authority area.

Hazel Blears: The information is not collected centrally.

Extradition

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether district judges are monitored to ensure that they ascertain whether individuals who consent to extradition have had access to legal advice.

Caroline Flint: Section 45(5) and section 127(6) of the Extradition Act 2003 require that a person may not give his consent to extradition before the appropriate judge unless he is legally represented at the time he gives consent. If he is not legally represented then he must have been advised of the right to apply for legal aid and has either refused to do so, had his legal aid application refused or legal aid has been withdrawn.

Extradition

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the (a) 1989 and (b) 1965 Extradition Acts have been repealed.

Caroline Flint: Except for requests that were received on or before 31 December 2003, the Extradition Act 1989 was repealed by the Extradition Act 2003, which came into force on 1 January 2004.
	Prior to the coming into force of the new extradition legislation, the UK's extradition relations with the Republic of Ireland were governed by the Backing of Warrants (Republic of Ireland) Act 1965 which has also been repealed by the Extradition Act 2003. The Republic of Ireland has been designated as a Category 1 territory and, as such, is a partner in the European Arrest Warrant. As with the 1989 Act, any cases received from the Republic of Ireland on or before 31 December 2003 will be considered under the Backing of Warrants Act 1965.

Extradition

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether countries which allow the death penalty as a form of punishment are prohibited from designation for the purposes of part 1 of the Extradition Bill.

Caroline Flint: Section 1(3) of the Extradition Act 2003 states that a territory may not be designated for the purposes of part 1 of the Extradition Act 2003 if a person found guilty in the territory of a criminal offence may be sentenced to death for the offence under the general criminal law of the territory.

Identity Cards

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what penalty he proposes will apply to an individual who discloses information from the National Identity Register.

Des Browne: The criminal offences and civil penalties that will be used to ensure that an identity card scheme operates effectively are set out in "Legislation: A Consultation" (Cm 6178) published on 26 April.
	Clause 29 of the draft Bill includes an offence for any person to disclose information from the National Identity Register without lawful authority, which will be punishable by a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment or a fine, or both.

Identity Cards

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what penalties will be applicable to hackers attempting to access the National Identity Register.

Des Browne: Clause 31 of the draft Identity Cards Bill published by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on 26 April (Cm 6178) deals with cases where someone modifies information held on the Register to falsify it. This includes hacking into the Register. Such an act would be an offence under the Computer Misuse Act 1990, however it would attract only a maximum penalty of five years.
	The draft Identity Cards Bill includes a provision to increase the maximum penalty in cases involving the National Identity Register to 10 years to ensure consistency with the false identity documents offences in the draft Bill.

Identity Cards

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who will have access to the information recorded on the National Identity Register; and under what circumstances.

Des Browne: Proposals to permit information held on the National Identity Register to be disclosed with and without an individual's consent are set out in "Legislation on Identity Cards: A Consultation" (Cm 6178) published on 26 April.
	It is incorrect to say that any body or person will have "access" to the Register, rather the legislation will permit the Secretary of Sate to disclose information where a person consents or, where a person does not consent, only for specified purposes to specified persons.
	Clause 14 provides for the provision of an identity verification service with the consent of the registered individual.
	Clause 16 provides a power to enable checks to be made of information recorded in the Register by a person providing a public service for the purposes of ascertaining or verifying information of an individual applying for the public service. Clause 17 (1) sets out who may make regulations under Clause 16.
	There will be a general power to disclose information to the security and intelligence agencies for their statutory purposes under clause 20.
	In addition, law enforcement agencies will be able to seek disclosure of information from the National Identity Register for the prevention or investigation of crime under clause 20 (3). For these groups, disclosure of "audit trails" of card usage would be permitted only in cases of serious crime under clause 20 (8). The police in Scotland will have similar powers but will only be permitted to apply for disclosure in relation to matters that arereserved under clause 20 (7)(b) .

Identity Cards

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what use will be made of data-sharing powers in background checks of applicants for identity cards.

Des Browne: "Identity Cards: The Next Steps" (Cm 6020) published in November 2003 made it clear that applications for one of the family of identity cards will require checks to be made against other databases, held by the public or private sector, in order to help establish that an application for a card is genuine. This followed recommendations on identity verification included in the Cabinet Office study on Identity Fraud, published in July 2002.
	Clause 11 of the draft Bill includes a power to require organisations to provide information which will help to ensure that a person who applies to register is the person he or she claims to be. This power will only be used where there is no existing legal basis for this information to be obtained and will only apply for the purposes of processing applications for an identity card or for related purposes (for example, issuing a replacement). These powers do not confer any general right to share data for wider purposes.
	Under clause 11 (6) Parliament would have to approve each "gateway" via an affirmative order.
	Checks such as these could, for example, confirm that a person had been known by a certain identity and lived at known addresses for a number of years. This information is more difficult to know, to change, or to fabricate and will guard against registration of bogus identities and avoids relying solely on documents that can be stolen or forged, such as birth certificates.

Identity Cards

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information will be required to be provided by an applicant for an identity card.

Des Browne: When applying for an identity card, it will be necessary to make an application in person so that biometric information can be recorded. Applicants will also be asked to bring along existing identity documentation, which will be checked for authenticity and validity.
	The precise arrangements for what information will be necessary for making an application will be decided as the identity cards programme progresses following further preparatory work and testing of different options. It may also be necessary to make changes to the application process over time. These arrangements are therefore not spelt out on the face of the draft Identity Cards Bill. Rather provision is included for the detailed arrangements to be set out in Regulations. Clause 5(3) of the draft Bill makes clear that an application for registration and thus the issue of an ID card must be accompanied by information to be prescribed and Clause 5(4) enables further information to be required in order to verify the information the applicant has already provided. These arrangements must be approved by Parliament and no information may be required unless it is required for the statutory purposes of the scheme as set out in the primary legislation.

Identity Cards

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what grounds it will be permitted for members of the public to be stopped and asked to produce their identity card; and what safeguards will be put in place to ensure that people are not asked to produce their identity cards for other reasons.

Des Browne: The introduction of identity cards will make it much easier and simpler for people to prove their identity when they wish to do so. However, the draft Identity Cards Bill has made clear that it will not be a requirement to carry an identity card and there are no new police powers to stop people and require them to produce a card.
	The draft Bill does allow for Regulations to be made for identity checks, including production of a card, to access public services. Regulations for each service would need to be approved by Parliament. Before regulations are laid, the Government must explain why its existing powers in relation to a particular service are not sufficient (Clause 17(4)) and steps must be taken to ensure that members of the public are informed and consulted about the proposal. Clause 17(5) requires there to be consultation with interested parties if there is an equivalent requirement in other legislation to consult these interested parties.
	Until it became compulsory to register, the ID card could not be the only way of proving identity to access social security benefits or free public services. In addition the intention of Clause 19 is to prohibit a private sector service provider making production of an ID card the only way of accessing its services before there is compulsion to register.

Identity Cards

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the exceptional circumstances will be under which disclosure of information from the National Identity Register is allowed without an individual's consent.

Des Browne: Proposals to permit information held on the National Identity Register to be disclosed with and without an individual's consent are set out in "Legislation on Identity Cards: A Consultation" (Cm 6178) published on 26 April.
	There will be an exception to the general bar on disclosing information without consent, but disclosure will only be allowed to specified persons for specified purposes approved by Parliament and will be subject to an internal authorisation and independent oversight procedure.
	There will be a general power to disclose information to the security and intelligence agencies for their statutory purposes under clause 20.
	In addition, law enforcement agencies will be able to seek disclosure of information from the National Identity Register for the prevention or investigation of crime under clause 20 (3). For these groups, disclosure of "audit trails" of card usage would be permitted only in cases of serious crime under clause 20 (8). The police in Scotland will have similar powers but will only be permitted to apply for disclosure in relation to matters that are reserved under clause 20 (7)(b) .

Madrid Bombing

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received requests from (a) Spain and (b) Morocco for the extradition of persons in connection with the Madrid train bombing; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Before an arrest has been made, it is long-standing Home Office policy and practice not to confirm or deny whether any extradition requests for certain individuals have been made to, or received by, the UK for obvious reasons.

Ministerial Meetings

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the Lord Chief Justice.

David Blunkett: I have regular bilateral meetings with the Lord Chief Justice.

National Identity Register

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information that pertains to public services for which the devolved administrations have responsibility he plans will be held by the National Identity Register.

Des Browne: The information which may be held in the National Identity Register is specified in Clause 1 and Schedule 1 of the draft Identity Cards Bill which was published on 26 April. The Register's function is to verify identity and residential status and it therefore has no need to hold information which is specific to a particular public service.

NCIS

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the budget of the National Criminal Intelligence Service was in each of the last five years.

Paul Goggins: The information is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2000–01 47.5 
			 2001–02 49.5 
			 2002–03 68.5 
			 2003–04 72.2 
			 2004–05 83.3 
		
	
	The year-on-year position may not be directly comparable because the figures shown exclude cost of capital and depreciation charges that were introduced in 2002–03 under Resource Accounting and Budgeting. In addition, the figures shown also exclude funding for specific projects. It should also be noted that during 2002–03, the funding of the National Criminal Intelligence Service changed from police levy funding to core Home Office grant under the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001.

Policing/Crime Statistics

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the percentage change in full-time police officers in Oldham, West and Royton has been since 1997.

Hazel Blears: Information on strength at Basic Command Unit (BCU) level is collected annually and reflects the position at the end of March. Information on BCU strength is only available from 2002.
	Oldham, West and Royton are part of the Oldham BCU. Between March 2002 and March 2003 police strength for the Oldham BCU increased by 3.5 per cent. (from 423 to 438). The deployment of officers to BCUs is a matter for the Chief Constable (Michael Todd) and within the Oldham BCU deployment of officers is a matter for the Divisional Commander.

Policing/Crime Statistics

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the percentage change in (a) overall recorded crime, (b) recorded violent crime, (c) burglaries and (d) vehicle thefts in Preston has been since 1997.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not available centrally.
	Preston is a Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area. Data at CDRP level has only been published from 1999–2000 onwards. Detailed   statistics at CDRP level are available for 2002–03 on the new Home Office website: http://www.crimestatistics.org.uk.

Policing/Crime Statistics

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the percentage change in full-time police officers in Preston has been since 1997.

Hazel Blears: Information on strength at Basic Command Unit (BCU) level is collected annually and reflects the position at the end of March. Information on BCU strength is only available from 2002.
	Preston is part of Lancashire Constabulary's Central BCU. Between March 2002 and March 2003 police strength for the Central BCU increased by 1.1 per cent. (from 381.4 to 385.7). The deployment of officers to BCUs is a matter for the Chief Constable (Paul Stephenson) and within the Central BCU deployment of officers is a matter for the Divisional Commander.

Policing/Crime Statistics

Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were employed in Wigan in (a) 1997 and (b) 2003.

Hazel Blears: Information on strength at Basic Command Unit (BCU) level is collected annually and reflects the position at the end of March. Information on BCU strength is only available from 2002.
	In March 2002 there were 442.5 officers and in March 2003 there were 473.0 full time equivalent officers employed in the Wigan Basic Command Unit. The deployment of officers to BCUs is a matter for the Chief Constable (Michael Todd) and within the Wigan BCU deployment of officers is a matter for the Divisional Commander.

Policing/Crime Statistics

Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage change in (a) overall recorded crime, (b) recorded violent crime, (c) burglaries and (d) thefts in Wigan there has been since 1997.

Hazel Blears: The information requested is not available centrally. Wigan is a Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area. Data at CDRP level have only been published from 1999–2000 onwards. Detailed   statistics at CDRP level are available for 2002–03 on the new Home Office website: http://www.crimestatistics.org.uk.

Policing/Crime Statistics

Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many community safety officers are allocated by Greater Manchester Police to Wigan 'L' Division.

Hazel Blears: As of 1 April 2004 there were 32 community safety officers working in the Wigan 'L' Division of Greater Manchester Police.

Prisons

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how value for money will be shown to have been achieved if in-house bids for the running of existing establishments are not permitted under the current performance testing programme in the Prison Service.

Paul Goggins: The public sector are given the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to provide a value for money service in their proposals for improvement. Only if they failed to do so, or if they subsequently failed to deliver the necessary improvements, would the management of the prison be put to tender to the private sector only. As is the case in all competitions for the management of prisons, the bid which offered the best combination of cost and quality of service would be selected.

Prisons

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total cost was to the Prison Service for each prison constructed under the Private Finance Initiative in each year of operation.

Paul Goggins: The requested information, extrapolated from Prison Service Annual Reports and Accounts, is shown in the table for the years up to 2002–03. The final outturn for 2004–05 will be available shortly.
	
		£
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Altcourse (6)— 29,962,583 33,113,688 35,036,594 35,261,148 32,154,593 
			 Ashfield — — (6)— 15,834,762 14,426,845 9,820,999 
			 Dovegate — — — — (6)— 24,511,442 
			 Forest Bank — — (6)— 22,480,153 22,040,504 20,821,813 
			 Lowdham Grange (6)— 15,942,120 15,450,822 15,975,509 14,893,288 13,159,649 
			 Parc (6)— 27,888,480 29,766,258 31,676,362 32,386,551 31,322,995 
			 Rye Hill — — — (6)— 15,344,851 14,103,266 
		
	
	(6) Represent the year in which the prison opened. Part years are excluded from the accounts.

Prisons

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the construction costs were for each prison built under the Private Finance Initiative.

Paul Goggins: The construction costs for each prison built under the Private Finance Initiative, derived from the original financial model on which payment to the contractor is based, are:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 Altcourse 68 
			 Ashfield 26 
			 Dovegate 64 
			 Forest Bank 45 
			 Lowdham Grange 25 
			 Parc 47 
			 Rye Hill 37

Prisons

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the saving that has been made by the Prison Service through building prisons through the Private Finance Initiative compared to alternative methods of financing such construction; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: Savings achieved through the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) in respect of prisons are calculated on the basis of comparing the total cost of the contract, including construction, finance and operating costs, against the public sector comparator. On that basis, the PFI process has delivered savings in the range of 10 per cent. to 15 per cent. compared with conventional procurement.

Prisons

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the most recent assessment was made of the cost of a privately built, publicly run prison; what the outcome was; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The latest assessments of a privately built, publicly run prison were the public sector comparators (PSCs) used in evaluating the bids for the contracts for Bonzefield and Peterborough prisons. The PSC for Bronzefield was 11 per cent. higher and the PSC for Peterborough 8.2 per cent. higher than the Net Present Values of the winning bids.

Public Sector Workers (Assaults)

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information his Department collects on assaults on public sector workers during the course of their work.

Hazel Blears: In January 2004, the Home Office published an on-line report entitled "Violence at Work: Findings from the 2002–2003 British Crime Survey". This report includes information regarding the occupation of victims of violence at work. It is available on the Home Office Research and Statistics website at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs2/rdsolr0404.pdf
	Assaults on public sector workers which are recorded by the police are included in Home Office recorded crime statistics. However, the only assaults on public sector workers which are identified separately are 'Assaults on a constable' Statistics on these offences for England and Wales are given in Table 3.04 of HO Statistical Bulletin 7/03 'Crime in England and Wales 2002–03'. This is also available on the website at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs2/703chap3.xls

Road Safety

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been brought against people speaking on a mobile phone whilst driving.

Hazel Blears: The specific offence of driving while using a hand held mobile phone came into effect on 1 December 2003.
	Data on police action (written warnings, fixed penalty notices and court proceedings) for the new offence of driving while using a hand held mobile telephone will not be available until the Autumn of 2004. Use of a hands free mobile phone is not an offence.

Serious Organised Crime Agency

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Serious Organised Crime Agency will include in its remit the activities of animal rights activists; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Proposals for the Serious Organised Crime Agency were set out in the White Paper 'One Step Ahead: A 21st century strategy to defeat organised crime' (CM6167), published on 29 March. We have invited comments on the proposals by 30 July and will consider those carefully before making decisions as to the full remit of the new agency.

Terrorism

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to make the results of the recent consultation questionnaire regarding the level of preparedness of each council known to individual councils and their emergency planning officers.

Nick Raynsford: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government Offices in the Regions are currently providing written reports on this exercise for the Regional Resilience Forums (on which local authorities are represented). If individual local authorities want to discuss the exercise, they should approach the relevant Government Office, who will be happy to brief them.

Traffic Police (Sussex)

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many traffic police there are in Sussex Police.

Hazel Blears: Published information on police strength by police force area is available for rank, gender and ethnicity but not function. Figures on police atrength for March 2003, were published in Home Office Statistical Bulletin 11/03, copies of which are available in the Library or on the internet site: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/hosbpubs1.html.

UK/US Extradition

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress with implementation of the UK-US Extradition Treaty set up in March 2003.

Caroline Flint: The new Treaty was signed by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and the US Attorney General on 31 March 2003. It was approved by both Houses of Parliament on 16 and 17 December 2003 and it has already been given effect in the UK by the Extradition Act 2003,which came into force on 1 January 2004. The Treaty will be brought into force in the United States when it has been approved and ratified by the US Senate.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Bilateral Aid

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the top 20 countries in receipt of bi-lateral aid from his Department, and the amount of aid given to each, in (a) 1998–99 and (b) 2002–03.

Hilary Benn: The top 20 recipients of bilateral aid from the Department of International Development in each of the years in question were as follows:
	
		DFID bilateral programme—Top 20 recipients 
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1998–99  
			 India 82 
			 Bangladesh 67 
			 Ghana 53 
			 Uganda 53 
			 Tanzania 50 
			 Malawi 47 
			 China 39 
			 Kenya 33 
			 Montserrat 31 
			 Russian Federation 31 
			 South Africa 29 
			 Mozambique 26 
			 Indonesia 25 
			 Pakistan 24 
			 Sudan 24 
			 Nepal 17 
			 Zimbabwe 15 
			 Zambia 15 
			 Rwanda 14 
			 Nigeria 11 
			 Total 686 
			 2002–03  
			 India 161 
			 Tanzania 96 
			 Bangladesh 77 
			 Afghanistan 75 
			 Ghana 56 
			 Uganda 55 
			 Malawi 52 
			 Kenya 45 
			 Ethiopia 43 
			 China 42 
			 Zambia 41 
			 Pakistan 39 
			 Mozambique 38 
			 South Africa 36 
			 Sierra Leone 32 
			 Rwanda 32 
			 Nigeria 31 
			 Zimbabwe 30 
			 Nepal 28 
			 Russian Federation 27 
			 Total 1036

HIV/AIDS

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what projects his Department funds to combat the spread of AIDS in Africa; how much expenditure is committed to each project; and what the time scale is of each project.

Hilary Benn: I have arranged for a copy of a table entitled 'Africa—Operational Projects/Programmes to combat HIV/AIDS' to be placed in the Library of the House. This identifies all those programmes or projects currently funded by the Department for International Development, which have a policy objective of "combating HIV/AIDS ". The total commitment is more than £1 billion. This figure includes expenditure already incurred against these ongoing activities as well as some future planned spending.

HIV/AIDS

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has to increase expenditure levels for projects in Africa to combat the spread of AIDS over the next three years.

Hilary Benn: In December 2003, the UK Government's Call for Action on HIV/AIDS announced that DFID will make HIV/AIDS a priority for the additional funds that the UK will be devoting to Africa by 2006. Many of those African countries worst affected by HIV/AIDS are among the DFID's bilateral country partners, (over 80 per cent. of AIDS' deaths occur in DFID's 16 African partner countries). The new UK Strategy on HIV/AIDS, to be published this summer, will cover the level of the UK's future resource commitments for HIV/AIDS.
	Several DFID African bilateral country programmes have recently stepped up expenditure in support of programmes to help combat HIV/AIDS; for example: a £25 million project for strengthening Nigeria's capacity to respond effectively to HIV/AIDS, and in Tanzania, DFID is working with the Tanzanian Government to set up an HIV/AIDS Fund of around £15 million per year over the next three years. In Malawi a programme is being designed that focuses on actions to help address the impact of HIV/AIDS on human resources in health and other sectors.
	However, scaling-up the HIV/AIDS response will not only require additional expenditure for HIV/AIDS-specific programmes. The socio-economic impact of HIV/AIDS and the vulnerability of the poor people in developing countries to HIV/AIDS mean that DFID's overall development effort around support for country owned Poverty Reduction Strategies remain of central importance. DFID's continuing work in the area of capacity building, education, public and financial sector reform and strengthening of civil society will all contribute to combating HIV/AIDS.
	DFID will make HIV/AIDS and Africa a centrepiece of the UK's Presidencies of the G8 and the EU in 2005. This creates an opportunity to work with the international community to increase the global HIV/AIDS response in Africa. If DFID is to succeed with our efforts we shall need to focus on four challenges that are seen as key to unlocking faster progress: Stronger political direction, better funding, better donor co-ordination and better HIV/AIDS programmes.

HIV/AIDS

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  when the Department will report progress on its targets (a) to reduce maternal mortality and (b) to tackle HIV/AIDS in Asia;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on progress on (a) the reduction of the under five mortality rate and (b) the TB treatment rates in Asia.

Hilary Benn: DFID's Departmental Report for 2004 (Reference code CM 6214), published on 5 May, reports on progress against the targets to reduce maternal mortality and to tackle HIV/AIDS and also to increase TB treatment rates in Asia. Copies of this report have been placed in the Library of the House.

International Plan of Action on Ageing

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action his Department (a) has taken and (b) intends to take in relation to the findings of the International Plan of Action on Ageing 2002.

Hilary Benn: DFID was closely involved in the preparations for the Second World Assembly on Ageing, held in Madrid in 2002. For example DFID supported the UN secretariat for the Assembly and also provided funding for the African Union's leadership and for the non-governmental organisation HelpAge International (HAI) to participate in the policy development process. DFID's support helped to ensure that poverty reduction and other development issues were fully reflected in the International Plan of Action, so that it provides a good basis for further action by the international community.
	The eradication of poverty is a fundamental aim of the International Plan of Action. DFID's aim is also the elimination of poverty in poorer countries. Older people are often among the poorest. The problems faced by many older people are therefore included in the policy analyses currently being carried out by DFID on chronic poverty and on social exclusion. DFID is also funding research at the Centre for Chronic Poverty and Development Policy at Manchester, in partnership with HelpAge International, into elderly people living in poverty. Other recently completed research projects looked at the migration of older people from South Asia and at non-contributory pensions and poverty prevention.
	The Action Plan advocates the active participation of older people in society and development. DFID's approach recognises the human rights of poor people, including older people and seeks to ensure that they are consulted on policies and decisions that affect them. DFID encourages their participation in research and in the development of policies that affect them. This increases understanding of how they perceive their rights and of the obstacles they face in obtaining their entitlements.
	DFID has had a strategic Programme Partnership Agreement with HelpAge International (HAI) since 2002. The purpose is to influence the development of policies and practices that promote rights and opportunities for older people and to maximise their contribution to society. DFID has provided funding of £2.46 million under this Agreement over the financial years 2002–03 to 2004–05. Funding for future years has still to be negotiated.
	HAI's work includes support for setting up effective groups of older citizens in developing countries. This includes strengthening them to monitor how their governments carry out their commitments to reduce the poverty of older people, including the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing. This project also encourages dialogue between governments, civil society and older people to ensure that effective policies and programmes are developed to reduce poverty among older people. A major objective of HAI is to raise awareness of the impact of HIV/AIDS on older people. They also support work to inform older people of their rights—for example a programme in South Africa to train older people to give affordable legal advice at village level on issues such as widowhood and inheritance.
	Examples of projects funded by DFID country programmes include support for the development of services for older people in the Kemerovo region of Russia and projects in the Overseas Territories of Montserrat and St. Helena to provide sheltered housing and other support for elderly people to live in the community.

Primary Schools (Developing Countries)

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the projects being funded by his Department which will lead to more primary school places being made available in developing countries in the current financial year.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The UK Government are working in the poorest countries in the world and with the international community to help governments provide education for millions of children who are out-of-school. Total investment in education from 1997–2002 was around £820 million. During the last financial year of 2003–04 DFID has spent over £170 million on education in developing countries, providing books and equipment, building new schools, paying teacher salaries and providing training for teachers. This figure is set to rise to over £250 million per year for the next four years.
	Progress has already been made in many countries; global enrolment in primary education increased from £596 million in 1990 to £648 million children in 2000.
	There are projects supporting primary education in several countries including Bangladesh, China, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria (with the World Bank), Pakistan, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Vietnam and Zambia. Projects in Nepal are also under development. In addition, DFID supports education in Mozambique and Uganda through budget support.
	In Vietnam, DFID supports the implementation of the Governments recently approved National Education for All action plan. This includes support for a range of actions to ensure sufficient primary school places of reasonable quality for all children in educationally disadvantaged districts.
	In India for example, the UK Government are providing funds to the Indian Government to help children from four of the poorest states attend and complete a full cycle of basic schooling. In Kenya, the Government recently stopped school fees at primary school. Making education free has brought a dramatic rise in the number of children going to school—over one million extra children. DFID is supporting the Kenyan Government to provide enough school places to keep up with demand and to ensure that quality is sustained. Finally, in Ethiopia the Government has prioritized primary education. Although enrolment is among the lowest in sub-Saharan Africa, progress is on track and the Gross Enrolment Rate has doubled over the last 10 years to 65 per cent.

Uganda

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which consultants are retained by his Department to provide the Government of Uganda with advice on delivery of public services; what the value of the contracts with the consultants is; and what the nature of the consultants' brief is.

Hilary Benn: The requested information is shown as follows.
	
		
			  Consultant name  Contract purpose Contract value (£) 
		
		
			 Marine Resources Assessment Group (MRAG) Integrated lake management project 4,527,051 
			 Agrisystems Ltd. Improving rural livelihoods in north and east Uganda through innovative systems for client led agriculture 4,428,843 
			 Maxwell Stamp plc Uganda Revenue Authority phase 2—Uganda 2,483,210 
			 The Media Company Radio for Gulu and Kitgum 771,135 
			 Local Government International Bureau City-Community Challenge Fund pilot project number 1 500,000 
			 International Book Development Ltd. Instructional Materials Reform Programme 864,190 
			 Maxwell Stamp plc Support to Privatisation and Utility reform (SPUR) Project 585,840 
			 LTS International Ltd. Uganda Forest Sector Policy and Strategy Framework Project 1,730,153 
			 KPMG Results oriented management adviser, Uganda 323,980 
			 International Book Development Ltd. Instructional Materials Reform Programme (phase 2) 331,010 
			 EASP Ltd. Financial management systems and technical support 93,170 
			 Water Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC) Development of performance measurement for the Uganda water and sanitation sector 118,136 
			 HTS Development Ltd. DFID support for development of Uganda Bureau of Statistics 88,909 
			 John Snow International HIV mainstreaming follow up and PEAP revision visit 45,857 
			 The Law and Development Partnership Ltd. A study on remuneration and pay policies for public service institutions and other Government agencies 139,821 
			 University of Sussex Social Protection phase 2 and 3: Uganda 54,548

Water Supplies

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance he is giving to projects which improve access to clean water in the developing world.

Hilary Benn: DFID is committed to supporting implementation of the Millennium Development Goals on access to safe water and provision of basic sanitation, and to the commitments made at the World Summit on Sustainable Development for better management of water resources. DFID's goal in the water sector is to enable poor people to lead healthier and more productive lives by helping to increase and sustain their access to safe drinking water supply and appropriate sanitation. DFID supports an integrated approach to sustainable water resource management, water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion.
	DFID currently has bilateral programmes in many countries and supports several major multilateral initiatives to improve access to clean water and sanitation. DFID is also working with other bilateral and multilateral agencies to develop more effective ways of attracting financing at a global level that are linked to the development of effective national water sector strategies and policies.
	DFID's recent Water Action Plan sets out how DFID will contribute to meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), through ongoing commitments to water supply, sanitation and water resource management.

DEFENCE

Army Air Corps (Medical Care)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the standard of medical care available to personnel serving at Army Air Corps stations.

Ivor Caplin: The Defence Medical Services provide the Armed Forces with a comprehensive medical service in peace, war and operations other than war to standards at least equal to the National Health Service (NHS). Military Personnel serving at Army Air Corps stations will receive primary health care, including specialist aviation medicine advice, from their units; psychiatric care from their local Defence Community Mental Health Centre; and secondary care from the NHS, including those NHS Trusts which host Ministry of Defence Hospital Units.
	The Defence Medical Services ensure and monitor the quality of care provided through robust Clinical Governance process. This includes the practice of evidence based medicine, clinical audit, supervision of clinicians performance, patient feedback, risk management, complaints management and the development of clinical leadership skills.

Crash Investigation (Norway)

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the assistance being provided by the Royal Air Force and his Department to the inquiry into allegations that a Royal Air Force Harrier aircraft was involved in the crash of a civilian Twin Otter near Mehamn in Norway in 1982.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has undertaken to provide all possible assistance to the Norwegian Parliamentary Commissions inquiry into the Mehamn tragedy. However, owing to the passage of time since the accident, we are having difficulty in finding the records relevant to the questions posed to us by the Commission.

Defence Bills Agency

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 15 March 2004, Official Report, column 46W, on Defence Bills Agency, how many of the bills processed by the Defence Bills Agency in 2002–03 related to procurement contracts; what the total value of those bills was; and what the figures were in (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02.

Adam Ingram: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

Defence Housing (Rubbish Disposal)

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the standard of the household rubbish collections services at defence housing associated with (a) RAF Leeming, (b) RAF Linton on Ouse, (c) AAC Dishforth and (d) Alanbrooke Barracks; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: No assessment has been made by the Ministry of Defence of the standard of household rubbish collection services in the areas named, other than that Service families in those locations receive the same service as civilian residents and, like other contributors to council tax revenue, are entitled to present any concerns to the council, either as individuals or residents' groups.

Defence Medical Personnel

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the civilian medical practitioners based at (a) RAF Leeming, (b) RAF Linton on Ouse, (c) AAC Dishforth and (d) Alanbrooke Barracks are stationed at these bases on a full-time basis.

Ivor Caplin: Civilian medical practitioners at RAF Leeming and RAF Linton on Ouse are employed on a full-time basis. At AAC Dishforth and Alanbrooke Barracks medical cover is provided through civilian GPs working part-time on a job share arrangement or through arrangements with local NHS practitioners.

Defence Medical Services

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what provision his Department makes for access to private medical treatment or diagnosis for personnel who are unduly affected by delays in receiving such treatment and diagnosis from the Defence Medical Services.

Ivor Caplin: Limited use is made of private healthcare providers to enable Service personnel to be diagnosed or treated and returned to medical fitness. The Army Training and Recruitment Agency (ATRA) provide access to private medical care for recruits, and their instructors, who are injured during Phase 1 training in order that they may return to training more quickly. The Royal Navy run a limited scheme whereby essential personnel who are urgently required for operational deployment can be treated by a private healthcare provider in order to allow them deploy medically fit.Defence Medical Service (DMS) Regional Rehabilitation Units are able to obtain diagnostic Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans through local private providers, although any treatment identified by the scans would normally be carried out within the DMS system. RAF station commanders are able to use station funds to provide private treatment for individuals if they are urgently required for military operations.

Defence Scientific and Technology Laboratory

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how the operations and financial transactions of the Defence Scientific and Technology Laboratory will be related to the Ministry of Defence's Top Level Budget for Corporate Science and Technology established on 1 April 2004.

Adam Ingram: The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) will remain one of the single largest suppliers of research to the new Top Level Budget (TLB). Dstl is a Trading Fund of the Ministry of Defence and it will continue to carry out all such work which, for reasons of sensitivity or security, must be done within Government. Research tasking will continue to be managed through formal tasking orders placed by the Department on the Dstl Trading Fund in accordance with the established Terms of Business Agreement. The new TLB will maintain financial accounts as the customer and the Trading Fund will maintain separate accounts as supplier. The day-to-day operation of the Trading Fund will be a matter for the Chief Executive, directed at a strategic level by the Ministerial owner's board in the Ministry of Defence. The key change represented by the new TLB is a move towards an output based approach for research planning and delivery and this will impact progressively on all research suppliers including Dstl by bringing a sharper focus on the priority needs of key stakeholders in the defence and security area.

Equipment Costs

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the forecast cost was on 31 March 2000 for the Extended Range Ordnance/Modular Charge System.

Adam Ingram: The forecast cost of the Extended Range Ordnance/Modular Charge System programme at 31 March 2000 was £188 million.

HMS Trafalgar

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of allegations by crew members that major defects in HMS Trafalgar remain to be rectified.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 4 May 2004
	HMS Trafalgar returned to sea to test equipment and systems following a major period of maintenance and repair. Before a submarine undertakes such a period at sea it goes through a complex and exhaustive testing procedure by a number of authorities which is fully documented. HMS Trafalgar passed that inspection. If she had any major defects or failing systems she would not have been allowed to return to sea. The allegations made by members of her crew have been assessed by appropriately qualified engineering personnel. The allegations that HMS Trafalgar had major defects which should have prevented her return to sea are unfounded.

HMS Trafalgar

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether HMS Trafalgar is seaworthy; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 4 May 2004
	HMS Trafalgar would not have returned to sea if she had not been seaworthy. Our nuclear submarines have been operating for over 40 years and have a safety record that is second to none. Before any submarine goes to sea, particularly as with HMS Trafalgar, after a period of maintenance and defect repair, it undergoes a rigorous series of safety checks and a number of authorities are involved in that process.

HMS Trafalgar

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the safety concerns of the crew members who left HMS Trafalgar.

Adam Ingram: The Royal Navy have been operating nuclear powered submarines for over 40 years and have a safety record that is second to none. We would not send a submarine to sea unless it was safe to do so.
	Of the 124 crew members on board HMS Trafalgar, 12 expressed general reservations over the material state of the submarine following a period of maintenance and repair. These concerns centred on three areas. These being:
	the release, as a result of human error, of diesel exhaust fumes into the submarine;
	a leak into the submarine, resulting from faulty equipment not related to recent maintenance, during pressurisation of the Freon domestic refrigerant gas system; and concerns related to faults to the paint finish of the escape hatch docking seat which had been inspected and judged to be minor and insufficient to prevent successful docking of a rescue submersible if that extremely unlikely event should prove necessary.
	Following these individual expressions of concern, made through the appropriate channels, and the levels of stress shown by 11 of these individuals, the Commanding Officer quite properly decided to remove these sailors from the submarine for medical assessment. In doing so, he acted in the best interests of those individuals and the Service. The twelfth member of the crew who discussed his concerns with the Commanding Officer elected to remain on board and sailed with Trafalgar.

Iraq

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what payments his Department has made to private military companies working in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has not employed private military companies in Iraq. It has not, therefore, made any payments to such companies.

Nuclear Installations (Aircraft Incidents)

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list each near miss incident involving RAF aircraft and United Kingdom nuclear installations reported to his Department in each year since 2000; and if he will place copies of the report on each incident in the Library.

Adam Ingram: Pursuant to his reply, 27 April 2004 Official Report, columns 873–74W
	Further work identified some inconsistencies in the recording of the alleged incidents. The table now reflects the year that the alleged incident occurred.
	
		
			  Total number of alleged incidents Total confirmed breach Under investigation 
		
		
			 2000 12 — — 
			 2001 20 1 — 
			 2002 13 2 — 
			 2003 13 2 — 
			 2004 (up to 31 March 04) 1 — 1

Nuclear Safety

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what monitoring programmes are in place to assess the health of present and former Royal Naval and MoD contracted personnel who have worked on nuclear submarine refits.

Ivor Caplin: The Ministry of Defence and its contractors carry out medical surveillance of radiation workers as required by Ionising Radiation Regulations 1999, Regulation 24. These regulations lay  down monitoring and medical surveillance requirements for personnel while occupationally exposed to ionising radiation. The main purpose of medical surveillance is to determine an individual's fitness or continuing fitness for the intended work with ionising radiation. There is no mandatory requirement for a health monitoring programme for former personnel who have worked on nuclear submarine refits and I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Health on 15 December 2003, Official Report, column 785W to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock).
	MOD and its contractors at the Royal Dockyards however, provide an independent counselling service for radiation workers, former radiation workers and their families who have concerns about their health consequent of their work with radiation.
	Individuals may request counselling by telephoning the Counselling Telephone line (02392 768098) and leaving their names and addresses or by writing to the MOD Counselling Registry at DSTL Radiological Protection Services, Crescent Road, Alverstoke, Gosport, Hants, PO12 2DL. Further details are available on the world wide web at: http://www.mod.uk/dsef/hp/rwc.htm.

Nuclear Safety

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what estimates have recently been made of the safety of levels of radiation regarded as acceptable when early generations of nuclear submarines were being refitted; and if he will authorise a new assessment;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the likelihood that individuals involved in past nuclear submarine refits have (a) been exposed to cancer-causing levels of radiation and (b) developed cancer as a result.

Adam Ingram: Radiation exposure is kept as low as reasonably practicable and within the dose limits recommended by the International Commission on Radiation Protection (ICRP) and specified in the United Kingdom legislation. Both the ICRP and UK regulations are regularly reviewed and updated. Therefore, there is no need for the Ministry of Defence to make its own assessment.
	Those workers most exposed to ionising radiation, known as classified persons, have their exposure assessed using radiation dosimeters issued by an Approved Dosimetry Service and entered into their radiation dose record. The Ministry of Defence contributes its data on classified persons to the National Registry of Radiation Workers (NRRW) managed by the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB). The NRRW data are used in epidemiological studies. In an analysis of the data, published in July 1999, the NRPB concluded that overall death rates among radiation workers are below those in the general population. The analysis contained 124,743 workers, of which about one third were Ministry of Defence radiation workers or former radiation workers. The NRPB is intending to undertaker the next analysis in 2005–06.

RAF Medical Centres

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the standard of medical care available to aircrew manning Quick Reaction Alert aircraft at (a) RAF Leeming, (b) RAF Leuchars and (c) RAF Coningsby.

Ivor Caplin: All RAF medical centres are regularly inspected as part of the RAF's Formal Governance Visit programme. This programme involves a formal command level inspection of medical standards and working practices every two years, with self-assessment questionnaires being completed in the intervening years. All of the Quick Reaction Alert medical centres were assessed as satisfactory at their last inspections.

RAF Benson

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what representations he has received from members of the local community with regard to the future of RAF Benson;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the economic costs to the local community were RAF Benson to close.

Ivor Caplin: I made clear to the House in my Written Statement of 23 March Official Report, columns 47WS-48WS, that the Ministry of Defence is continually examining ways of improving military capability and value for money for the taxpayer. As part of this approach, we therefore keep the size and location of our bases under constant review. No decisions have been made regarding the future of RAF Benson. No assessment on the economic costs to the local community of any closure has been made.
	In addition to the two letters from the hon. Gentleman, the Ministry of Defence has received one letter from the hon. Member for Wantage (Mr. Jackson). RAF Benson has received a letter from the local Chamber of Commerce.

Royal Navy (Job Titles)

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason the title of engineering artificer is to be replaced by that of engineering technician in the Royal Navy; what consultations were undertaken with non-commissioned Royal Naval personnel before the decision was taken; and if he will make a statement on the future of engineering apprenticeships in the Royal Navy.

Ivor Caplin: The title artificer no longer adequately describes the professional role that those personnel undertake in the modern Navy. Replacing it with Engineering Technicians will align the Navy with the standards of competence published by the Engineering Council United Kingdom, and refresh the image of this key role against increasingly competitive recruitment market forces.
	There has been wide consultation with Royal Navy Engineering Branch personnel of all ranks and rates during this review, covering all aspects of the proposals, including the title change.
	It is expected that satisfactory completion of Technician training will be recognised by the award of a Foundation Degree, providing the opportunity, for those who wish, to study to Bachelor Degree level, thereby enabling them to aspire to accreditation as Incorporated Engineers. The quality of the skilled, technically trained men and women provided to support the Fleet will be undiminished.

Trident Nuclear Warhead

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) life of the current design of the Trident missile and (b) maximum life of the Trident missile system is; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 February 2004, Official Report, column 1458W to the hon. Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Julian Lewis).

NORTHERN IRELAND

Arts Funding

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money was allocated by (a) the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, (b) the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, (c) the Ultach Trust and (d) Foras na Gaeilge towards the arts in each year since 1999.

Angela Smith: Expenditure on the arts since 1999 by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland is as set out in the following tables:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1999–2000 15,522,314 
			 2000–01 11,699,055 
			 2001–02 13,040,613 
			 2002–03 14,997,581 
			 2003–04 (Subject to audit) 16,074,500 
		
	
	Expenditure on the arts since 1999 by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure is as follows (excluding grant in aid to the Arts Council):
	
		
			  £000 
		
		
			 1999–2000 367,910 
			 2000–01 469,500 
			 2001–02 730,000 
			 2002–03 756,672 
			 2003–04 492,405 
		
	
	The Ultach Trust is a registered charitable trust. The Government are not responsible for the Trust's expenditure.
	Expenditure on the arts since 1999 by Foras na Gaeilge is as follows:
	
		
			  £000 
		
		
			 1999 — 
			 2000 150,000 
			 2001 170,000 
			 2002 200,000 
			 2003 200,000

Bank Charges

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he is taking to bring about the reduction of charges to customers by banks operating in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: Banking is a reserved matter under Schedule 3 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and Northern Ireland Departments have no powers in this area. The hon. Lady will, however, wish to note that the General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland (GCCNI) produced a report, "Short Changed", in 2002, which highlighted the need to make banking easy, affordable and accessible for all Northern Ireland's consumers. In subsequent press releases, GCCNI has advised consumers to shop around and has called on local banks to scrap unnecessary charges and advertise the existence of their low-cost basic bank accounts. It is also promoting financial education initiatives. Powers in relation to the areas referred to by the hon. Lady are vested in the Office of Fair Trading. I have asked my officials to bring the hon. Lady's concerns to the attention of that organisation to which further questions should be directed.

Bank Charges

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether all bank charges in Northern Ireland meet the code and ethics laid down by the UK banking industry; what steps the Government can take to protect Northern Ireland bank customers; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: Banking is a reserved matter under Schedule 3 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and Northern Ireland Departments have no powers in this area. Compliance with the Banking Code and the Business Banking Code is a matter for the Banking Code Standards Board. In relation to the steps the Government can take to protect Northern Ireland bank customers, I would refer the hon. Lady to the answer I gave today to Question Number 165784.

Benefit Fraud

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his estimate is of the extent of benefit fraud in Northern Ireland; and what measures are in place to deal with it.

John Spellar: I am totally committed to a robust approach to tackling fraud and error and abuse of the social security system wherever it occurs.
	The Social Security Agency is unable to measure the amount of fraud across all benefits on an annual basis. However, a programme of Benefit Reviews is carried out on a regular basis across all of the major Social Security benefits. During the 2003–04 year the following levels were estimated:
	Income support, 1.6 per cent. (£7.625 million) of benefit expenditure;
	Jobseekers allowance, 6.1 per cent. (£6.626 million) of benefit expenditure;
	Housing benefit, 2.2 per cent. (£6.967 million) of benefit expenditure.
	During 2002–03, a Benefit Review was carried out in Incapacity Benefit. A total of 591 cases were examined of which only 2 (0.3 per cent.) were found to be fraudulent. Based on this small number of fraudulent cases, it is anticipated that this equates to £0.94 million of benefit expenditure.
	The Social Security Agency has a comprehensive and rigorous strategy for combating fraud designed to ensure that:
	claims entering the system are legitimate;
	once in the system claims are maintained properly; and
	where fraud does enter the system it is detected and appropriate action is taken.
	In the period from April 2003 to March 2004, 7,761 cases of suspected fraud were investigated. Of these cases, 3,944 (51 per cent.) resulted in withdrawal of claims or changes in the rate of benefit paid and 345 were referred for prosecution. In the same period there were 101 cases where administrative penalties were imposed and 54 cases where cautions were issued.

Childhood Tumours

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to ensure that (a) the new regional cancer unit at the Belfast City Hospital and (b) local research prioritise childhood tumours; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: I have been asked to reply.
	(a) The Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children is responsible for the management of childhood cancers and this will not change when the new Cancer Centre opens at the Belfast City Hospital in 2006. Children requiring radiotherapy will continue to be referred to Belfast City Hospital Trust, which currently provides radiotherapy for around 15 children each year.
	The effective management of childhood cancers is already a key priority for the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children. The Hospital is a member of the United Kingdom Children's Cancer Study Group, comprising 22 specialist centres. Each of the centres adheres to agreed protocols for the treatment of childhood cancers, developed in collaboration with European and worldwide oncology centres.
	(b) In Northern Ireland, there is an active research base in both cancer and child health and welfare, through the Recognised Research Groups, supported by the R&D Office for the HPSS.

Hotel Accommodation

David Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much capital grant has been paid by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board for the provision of upgrading hotel accommodation in each of the last five financial years.

Ian Pearson: In April 2002 the Capital Investment Programme for accommodation development moved from the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) to Invest Northern Ireland (Invest NI). Invest NI has responsibility for allocation of resources to accommodation infrastructure projects through the Tourism Development Scheme whilst the NITB retains responsibility for investment in visitor attractions, visitor amenities and visitor servicing.
	From April 1999 to March 2004 inclusive, £3,961,879 has been paid by the NITB and Invest NI towards the upgrading of hotels in Northern Ireland. The payment figure can be broken down as set out in the following table:
	
		
			  Payments made (£) 
		
		
			 1999–2000 1,048,199 
			 2000–01 946,826 
			 2001–02 1,045,610 
			 2002–03 567,430 
			 2003–04 353,814 
			 Total 3,961,879

Housing Executive (Rent Levels)

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the annual changes in Northern Ireland housing executive rents were over the last six years.

John Spellar: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave on 26 April 2004, Official Report, column 820W, which provides information about the Housing Executive rents in Northern Ireland over the five year period 2000–01 to 2004–05. The increase for 1999–2000 was 4.5 per cent.

Road Safety

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many motorists have been prosecuted since the introduction of the legislation on the use of mobile phones in Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: The Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment No. 5) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 came into operation on 1 February 2004 and I am advised that during that month the PSNI gave advice and warnings to motorists that committed an offence. I understand that the PSNI have issued 835 fixed penalty notices from 1 March 2004 in respect of contraventions. Statistics on the number of prosecutions in respect of hand-held mobile telephones are not yet available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Northern Ireland Police Board (Fair Employment)

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many formal complaints alleging breaches of fair employment and equal opportunity legislation by the Northern Ireland Policing Board have been made to the Office of Industrial Tribunals and the Office of Fair Employment Tribunals in (a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) 2004 to date.

Ian Pearson: I have been advised by the Northern Ireland Policing Board of the following statistics relating to the number of formal complaints made to the Office of Industrial Tribunals and the Office of Fair Employment Tribunals alleging breaches of fair employment and equal opportunity legislation by the Northern Ireland Policing Board:
	2002: None.
	2003: Two Cases.
	2004: None to date.

Northern Ireland Police Board (Fair Employment)

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of (a) the adequacy of the Northern Ireland Policing Board's equal opportunities policy and (b) the supply of appropriately qualified and trained staff to implement it; and what assessment he has made of the ability of the Board to comply with (i) equal opportunities and (ii) fair employment legislation, with particular reference to the requirement to preserve all relevant records and papers.

Ian Pearson: The Northern Ireland Policing Board is designated as a public authority and is therefore required by Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, in carrying out its functions to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity and regard to promote good relations.
	The Policing Board's Equality Scheme, which was approved on 12 February 2003 sets out how it proposes to fulfil its statutory duties. As like all other public authorities the Policing Board produces an annual progress report on its Equality Scheme and submits this to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
	In addition as an employer I have been informed by the Policing Board that it has in place all the necessary procedures and processes to ensure that it complies with all relevant employment law. The Board has recently implemented their Equal Opportunities policy and undertaken the associated training for all staff.
	I have also been advised that all relevant records and papers in respect of recruitment are retained in accordance with equal opportunities policies and legislative requirements.

Planning Policy

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will reverse the practice of planning authorities in Northern Ireland of presuming in favour of development.

Angela Smith: This matter will be considered as part of the forthcoming review of Planning Policy Statement 1 which sets out among other matters the general principles that my Department observes in exercising control of development. This review, which will involve public consultation, is due to be completed by the end of 2005.

Public Administration Review

David Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made with the Review of Public Administration; when interim proposals will be published; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: Consultation on high level models of public administration concluded on 27 February 2004 with some 170 responses being received. These have now been published on the Review's website.
	On 27 and 29 April 2004 I met representatives of all the main political parties to outline the key messages emerging from the consultation responses, and to discuss the core elements of a new system of public administration that reflects the views expressed in these responses. The parties have agreed to work with me over the coming months, and I hope to be in a position to publish firm proposals for consultation in the autumn.

Public Administration Review

David Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total cost incurred by the Review of Public Administration has been since the beginning of financial year 2001–02.

Ian Pearson: In May 2002 the Northern Ireland Executive agreed an overall budget of £3 million for the Review of Public Administration. To date a total expenditure of £1 71 million has been incurred by the Review. Prior to that, some preparatory work was undertaken on the Review before a dedicated budget was established. This work was completed by officials in OFMDFM who were engaged on a variety of issues, and therefore it is not possible to identify these costs separately.

Respiratory Illnesses

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to assist those people in Northern Ireland who suffer from respiratory illnesses and as a result of their condition have severe restriction in their mobility.

Angela Smith: A number of initiatives are currently under way to help people who are affected by chronic respiratory disease in Northern Ireland. For those people who are disabled with respiratory disease, many Trusts have developed multi-professional Pulmonary Rehabilitation Services. Further work is currently being undertaken by Trusts, in association with Boards, to ensure that the full range of these services is available to everyone in Northern Ireland.
	Recognising the impact of respiratory diseases on the health of people in Northern Ireland, my Department intends to initiate a major review of respiratory services in 2004–05. The scope of the review is not yet finalised, but key themes will include: primary prevention and the development of links with other health promotion strategies; the encouragement and facilitation of self-care; the promotion of multi- disciplinary team working; and, the development of integrated care pathways across the primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare sectors.

Social Economy (Public Bodies)

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland where the first meeting of the Social Economy Forum in June 2003 was held; and how many attended, and what the cost of the meeting was.

Ian Pearson: The first meeting of the Social Economy Forum was held at the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action premises in Belfast. There were 26 attendees, evenly split between social economy sectoral representatives and Government officials. Room hire and catering costs were £310.

Social Economy (Public Bodies)

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05 budget at the disposal of the (i) Social Economy Forum and (ii) Social Economy Agency is.

Ian Pearson: The Social Economy Forum is a policy platform. The Forum of itself has no budget but as a policy platform it seeks to influence how others utilise their resources to develop the social economy sector.
	£600,000 has been made available to the Social Economy Agency over a four-year period (2002–06). This is to establish and service a new high-level sectoral representative body, the Social Economy Network and its committees.

Social Economy (Public Bodies)

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff are employed in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment's inter-departmental steering group on the social economy.

Ian Pearson: None. The Inter-Departmental Steering Group (IDSG) consists of senior officials from all 11 Northern Ireland Departments. It meets three to four times per year and considers how departmental policies and programmes can support the growth of the sector, encourage greater cross-departmental co-operation and identify key action points to increase the sector's potential to build 'social capital' and create wealth and jobs, particularly in disadvantaged areas.

PRIME MINISTER

Middle East

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the recent open letter on Government policies on Iraq and the Israel/Palestine situation, signed by former British diplomats; and whether he plans to respond to the letter.

Tony Blair: I set out my response to the letter at the press conference I gave with the Italian Prime Minister on 27 April. A full transcript of this is available on the Number 10 website.

Immigration

Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister what steps he proposes to take to bring the immigration procedures and rules up to date.

Tony Blair: I refer my hon. Friend to the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on 22 April 2004, Official Report, columns 23–25WS.

Iraq

Michael Howard: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his statement of 19 April 2004, Official Report, columns 21–3, on Iraq and the Middle East Peace Process, 
	(1)  whether he raised in Washington the role of the British representative in Baghdad;
	(2)  whether he asked President Bush to designate the British representative as Ambassador Bremer's deputy.

Tony Blair: I refer the right hon. and learned Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for South Staffordshire (Sir Patrick Cormack) during my statement on 19 April 2004, Official Report, column 33.

Iraq

Michael Howard: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his statement of 19 April 2004, Official Report, columns 21–3, on Iraq and the Middle East Peace Process, what proposals were agreed with President Bush to improve the training and effectiveness of Iraqi security forces.

Tony Blair: As I have made clear, discussions are still continuing on this.

Iraq

Michael Howard: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his statement of 19 April 2004, Official Report, columns 21–3, on Iraq and the Middle East Peace Process, 
	(1)  what arrangements are being made to replace the Spanish contingent;
	(2)  whether British commanders in Iraq have asked for reinforcements; and whether any such request has been made by the US Administration.

Tony Blair: I refer the right hon. and learned Gentleman to the answer I gave him at Prime Minister's questions on 5 May 2004, Official Report, columns 1331–32.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Equal Pay

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Minister for Women what steps are being taken to erode the differential between male and female earnings.

Jacqui Smith: We are taking a number of steps to increase women's opportunities in the labour market such as increasing support for child care, flexible working and work-balance and the help we, together with the EOC, have provided employees to tackle unequal pay where it exists. Indeed, we welcome yesterday's publication of the EOC's interim report on modern apprenticeships, which looks at the issue of occupational segregation, one of the causes of the gender pay gap.

Employment

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister for Women what change there has been in the number of women in employment since 1997.

Patricia Hewitt: The Government have implemented a substantial package of measures to give women greater choice when entering the labour market, including new rights for working parents, tax credits, New Deal for Lone Parents and New Deal for Partners. There are now more women in employment than ever before, 13 million, up from 12 million in spring 1997. This Government's initiatives have contributed to the significant increase.

Rape (Rwanda)

Tom Brake: To ask the Minister for Women what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for International Development regarding rape survivors in Rwanda.

Patricia Hewitt: I fully support the work of my colleague the Secretary of State for International Development to assist women in post-conflict situations. The UK Government are providing direct assistance to the survivors of the genocide which is currently running at £200,000 per annum. I welcome the planned additional support of up to £850,000 which will include advice and counselling on issues around HIV/AIDS. I also welcome the financial assistance his Department is providing to witnesses, including rape survivors, at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

Teenage Pregnancy

Bob Russell: To ask the Minister for Women what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Health regarding teenage pregnancy.

Jacqui Smith: My hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and my hon. Friend the Minister for Women are pleased with the early signs that the Government's Teenage Strategy is working. The under 18 conception rate has fallen by 9.4 per cent. between 1998 and 2002.

Maternity Leave (Dismissals)

Vincent Cable: To ask the Minister for Women to how many companies she has made representations over the dismissal of women on return from maternity leave.

Jacqui Smith: Our message to employers is that those who discriminate against women returning from maternity leave are breaking the law. I welcome the EOC's formal investigation into pregnancy discrimination, as I am too aware that this type of unlawful discrimination still takes place. Hard evidence of the scope, nature of and reasons for such discrimination will enable us to tackle it more effectively.

Criminal Justice

Vera Baird: To ask the Minister for Women how she intends to respond to the Fawcett Society's Commission on Women and the Criminal Justice System.

Patricia Hewitt: I welcome the wide-ranging and valuable contribution that the Fawcett Society's Commission on Women and the Criminal Justice System.
	The recommendations will strengthen the work already in hand to support victims as outlined in the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victim's Bill, the three-year Action Plan to implement the Women's Offending Reduction Programme and Gender Equality PSA targets to increase women's participation in the criminal justice system.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Consumer Credit

James Plaskitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on responses received from businesses consulted on recommendations contained within the White Paper on reforming consumer credit legislation.

Gerry Sutcliffe: We have received a substantial number of responses to the Consumer Credit White Paper and its associated consultation. The responses represent views from a wide cross section of the credit industry; business, consumer groups and enforcement agencies.
	The Department is currently analysing these comments with a view to publishing a full Government response in early June.

Aerospace Industry

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in pursuing the recommendations of the Aerospace Innovation and Growth Team report.

Jacqui Smith: Good progress has been made across the wide range of recommendations contained in the   report, covering the areas of technology, skills, process excellence, socio-economic environment and environment, safety and security.

EU (New Members)

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on trade with the 10 new member states of the EU.

Mike O'Brien: Accession of the 10 new states to the EU creates a market of 450 million people (bigger than US and Japan combined).
	It will be the largest single market in the world, creating unprecedented opportunities for business and workers.
	The UK should be well-placed to compete in this market on the basis of our supportive business environment and highly skilled and flexible workforce.

Miners Compensation

Harry Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for   Trade and Industry if she will arrange for a compensation scheme for ex-National Coal Board workers employed as cokemen and surface workers who contracted chest diseases.

Nigel Griffiths: Two coal compensation schemes were established following court judgements on vibration white finger and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. To date 4,143 payments have been made to miners in North-East Derbyshire. There have been no similar court judgements in the case of the other diseases, but claimants are entitled to seek compensation through the common law.

Science Research

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the cost effectiveness of the Department's programme of financing science research.

Patricia Hewitt: Since 1997, the Department of Trade and Industry has doubled the investment in science and research through the Science Budget—reaching £3   billion in 2005—and my right hon. Friend the Chancellor has confirmed that investment will continue to grow over the next Spending Review period.
	The UK science and research base is recognised not only for its excellence: UK researchers are the most productive in the G8 countries, and I am confident that our investment will continue to pay dividends for our economy and our society.

Call Centres (Employment)

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of future employment prospects in the UK call centre industry.

Mike O'Brien: The Department is today publishing a report of the study we commissioned to look at the competitiveness of the UK call and contact centre industry. The study which covers a wide range of call centre issues forecasts that the UK industry is to gain around 200,000 jobs in the next three years, directly employing over a million people by 2007.

Call Centres (Employment)

Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of future employment prospects in the UK call centre industry, with particular reference to Leeds.

Mike O'Brien: The Department is today publishing a report of the study we commissioned to look at the competitiveness of the UK call and contact centre industry. The study covers a wide range of call centre issues but does not specifically cover employment prospects for Leeds. The UK industry is forecast to gain around 200,000 jobs in the next three years, directly employing over a million people by 2007.

Equal Pay

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further action she will take to close the pay gap between women and men in the south-east.

Patricia Hewitt: I am taking forward a number of measures to address the pay gap nationally. These include the introduction of the Equal Pay Questionnaire, and last month we launched plans to streamline equal value tribunal procedures. We know that the large pay gaps in London and the south-east are driven by the very high salaries of men in the finance sector, that is why we are already working with the EOC to promote pay reviews in retail finance and city sectors.

BNFL Strategy Review

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list in respect of the BNFL strategy review, to which reference is made at paragraph 15.27, page 126 of her Department's Annual Report, Cm 6216, (a) where the conclusions of the review were published, (b) who the members of the review were and (c) why neither the Thorp reprocessing plant nor the Sellafield Mox plant were included in the review.

Nigel Griffiths: The conclusions of the Joint Strategy Review of BNFL were announced in a written statement by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in the House of Commons on 11 December 2003 and were placed in the Libraries of the House. Full copies of the statement and the explanatory note are available at: http://www.dti.gov.uk/nuclearcleanup/wn.htm
	The Review was a joint process between HMG, the company and their respective advisers. Mike Parker, the CEO at BNFL, led the BNFL team and was advised by N. M. Rothschild and Freshfields; the Government side was led by the DTI, and advised by HSBC, Deloitte and Touche and Herbert Smith. Other Government Departments, including HMT and the Shareholder Executive, were closely involved in the review process.
	The joint review of BNFL was necessary to determine the future structure and broad strategic direction of the company before the NDA came into being. The Government White Paper, "Managing the Nuclear Legacy—a Strategy for Action", published in July 2001 had already stated that responsibility for THORP and the Sellafield MOX plutonium fuel plant would pass to the NDA. This policy has not changed, and accordingly, was not considered as part of the Strategy Review.

Disconnections

Jonathan R Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets on expanding the moratoria on disconnections for vulnerable groups beyond the winter months.

Nigel Griffiths: The Department has discussed, and will continue to discuss as appropriate, disconnections issues with Ofgem. With DTIs encouragement, Ofgem has been in discussion with gas and electricity suppliers about the arrangements governing disconnections, particularly for vulnerable customers. Last month, Ofgem issued an industry consultation paper that set out proposed revisions to, and clarification of, those arrangements. This should ensure that vulnerable customers are not, in the future, disconnected.

Energy Supplies

Harold Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the delivery of secure energy supply over the winter.

Nigel Griffiths: We saw evidence this winter that the Government's market-based approach to delivering secure energy supplies is working well. Generators brought mothballed plant back into service in response to rising electricity prices, and signals from NGT that they would like greater capacity going into the winter. The plant margin for winter 2003–04 rose from a projected level of 16.5 per cent. in July to 21.6 per cent. (January 2004 updated to National Grid Seven Year Statement), and electricity supply was sufficient to meet demand throughout the winter. The gas market also worked effectively, and there was sufficient supply to meet market demand throughout the winter.
	In June, Ofgem are due to publish their next report into the performance of the electricity and gas industries in delivering security, covering the winter period. This follows from the commitment made in the Energy White Paper that Ofgem would publish six monthly retrospective reports on the delivery of energy security.

Fluorspar

Patrick McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the economic importance of a domestic marketable source of the vein mineral fluorspar; and what assessment she has made of its downstream value to the economy in associated industries, in particular those situated in (a) the north-west of England and (b) Derbyshire.

Nigel Griffiths: The DTI is aware of the economic importance of a domestic source of fluorspar and the value of the industry to the economies of the north-west, Derbyshire and the south-west. There have been no specific assessments made of the economic importance of a domestic marketable source of the fluorspar. However, currently deposits in the Peak Park district of Derbyshire are being worked economically providing jobs and contributing to the local economy. In what is a highly competitive global market the high quality of the mineral being extracted is needed to underpin a viable fluorine producing industry in the north-west, that is itself providing a significant number of jobs and contributions to the local economy in that region. Officials are working with the companies concerned and local stakeholders to ensure that the UK continues to reap the economic benefits of working these deposits with minimal impact on the environment.

Free Parcel Postage (British Forces)

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the future provision of free parcel postage to British Forces Post Offices in regions of combat and theatres of peacekeeping operations.

Adam Ingram: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Member to my written ministerial statement of 27 February 2004, Official Report, column 70WS, and subsequent answers of 5 March 2004, Official Report, column 1155W, to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock), and 1 April 2004, Official Report, column 1605W, to the hon. Member for Mid-Norfolk (Mr. Simpson) and 5 May 2004, Official Report, columns 1526–1527W, to the hon. Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Randall).

Internet Fraud

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the estimated cost of internet fraud has been to United Kingdom (a) consumers and (b) businesses in each of the last five years.

Hazel Blears: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government do not collect figures on the cost of credit card fraud. The Association for Payment Clearing Services (APACS) has estimated the total cost of losses due to fraudulent possession of card details (card-not-present fraud), which includes internet fraud, over the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2003 116.4 
			 2002 110.1 
			 2001 95.7 
			 2000 72.9 
			 1999 29.3 
		
	
	Specific figures for costs to consumers or businesses are not available.

Postal Votes

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans the Royal Mail has to ensure (a) prompt delivery to electors and (b) the prompt return to the returning officer after posting by electors of postal votes for the forthcoming London and European elections in Hendon constituency; and if she will make a statement.

Nigel Griffiths: Royal Mail's plan for ensuring the prompt delivery and return of postal votes is an operational issue for the company. I understand that Royal Mail has developed a best practice guide on postal voting, which is designed to be used by Royal Mail's local operational staff, contacts within local authorities and regional returning officer departments. This operational guide is based on the company's experience of previous postal voting pilots and was drawn up in close co-operation with the Electoral Commission and local authority associations.

Royal Mail

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the Royal Mail's single delivery project.

Patricia Hewitt: Royal Mail is currently undertaking a complete restructure of the business with the full backing of the Government. A key element of that change, and the most visible to Royal Mail's customers, is the move to a single delivery. The Royal Mail is the last postal company in the world to move to a single delivery and it is essential that it do so if the business is to become competitive. The second delivery is an anachronism. It accounted for 20 per cent. of Royal Mail's cost, but only 4 per cent. of post carried.
	Once the single delivery changes have been made, the target will be for everybody to receive his or her post by lunchtime. Many households will receive their post at the same time as before; others, however, will receive their post later in the morning. I fully appreciate that this will be disappointing to some but continuing the second delivery with its high costs makes no sense.
	This is a huge undertaking for the company. Single delivery has now been introduced in 1,100 out of 1,450 delivery offices. The process takes six to eight weeks to bed in, as postmen and women get used to new and longer delivery routes. I understand that for the most part the change has gone reasonably smoothly and is now working well. There have been some problems and Royal Mail has apologised for the fall in service. I have Allan Leighton's personal assurance that the problems customers are experiencing in certain areas while the single delivery is being introduced are being vigorously tackled and solutions being found.

Royal Mail

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of (a) the effect of size-based pricing on mail order companies and (b) the accuracy of Royal Mail's assertion that 30 per cent. of mail will be affected by these changes;
	(2)  if she will make a statement on the introduction of size-based pricing by Royal Mail.

Nigel Griffiths: The introduction and the assessment of the effect of size-based pricing are matters for the Royal Mail and for the postal regulator, Postcomm.

Wind Farms

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has made   to other Government Departments regarding obstruction to shipping lanes from wind farms.

Stephen Timms: I refer to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport made on 4 May 2004, Official Report, column 1390W.

Wind Farms

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what evidence she has examined on low frequency noise emitted by wind turbines.

Nigel Griffiths: Research on low frequency noise emitted from wind turbines has been carried out under the Department's New and Renewable Energy Programme and reported in "Low Frequency Noise and Vibrations Measurement at a Modern Wind Farm" ETSU W/13/00392/REP.
	The results of that study show that low frequency noise emitted from wind farms falls well within recognised acceptable limits.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Brazil

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 27 April 2004, Official Report, column 965W, on Brazil, whether inspectors were denied access by Brazilian officials on 4 April.

Denis MacShane: The Government's understanding of the situation remains as set out in my previous answer.

Departmental Annual Report

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the production of his Department's latest annual report cost; how many copies were printed; how many copies of it were sold at its cover price; to whom copies of the report have been provided free of charge; and how many copies were provided free of charge.

Jack Straw: Production of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's departmental report 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004 cost £24,453, of which £13,930 was for printing and £10,838 was for design and editorial work. These costs to the Department are 25 per cent. lower than for the 2003 report. Other costs are met by the publisher.
	1,900 copies of this year's report were printed, of which 1,350 are distributed internally at a price which covers printing costs. The Stationery Office publishes the report, and as a legal requirement, provides six copies free to the Copyright Library. As the current report was only published on 29 April 2004, information on sales is not yet available. Last year the Stationery Office issued 425 copies of the 2003 Foreign and Commonwealth Office departmental report.

Eritrea

Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Eritrea about the persecution and imprisonment of Eritrean Christians; and under what circumstances he would support the imposition of sanctions by the (a) UK and (b) EU.

Chris Mullin: I raised this issue with President Isaias in Asmara on 15 January. Our Ambassador in Asmara raised the issue most recently on 29 March. The Government has no plans to introduce sanctions against Eritrea.

EU General Affairs and External Relations Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the outcome was of the General Affairs and External Relations Council held on 26 and 27 April; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting records; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: The information is as follows.
	Outcome of the 26 April 2004 General Affairs and External Relations Council
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I represented the UK at the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) in Luxembourg on 26 April.
	Conclusions were agreed on the Middle East Peace Process, Western Balkans, Cyprus and Africa.
	General Affairs Session
	Progress of work in other Council configurations
	The Council took note of a progress report from the Presidency on work under way in the Council's other configurations (the Justice and Home Affairs Council and the Agriculture and Fisheries Council.)
	Follow-up to the spring European Council: Intergovernmental Conference
	The Council discussed the Presidency's plans for resuming negotiations in the Intergovernmental Conference on the draft EU Constitutional Treaty, with a view to reaching agreement no later than the 17–18 June European Council.
	Enlargement
	Commissioner Verheugen gave a presentation on the preparedness of the 10 Accession States (Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia) for membership of the European Union from 1 May.
	He acknowledged their efforts to address the remaining areas of concern. He confirmed that implementation of the EU's rules and policies have been satisfactory and that no safeguard measures would be necessary at this stage, pending a definitive assessment once they had joined.
	External Relations Session
	WTO/DOHA Development Agenda (DDA)
	Commissioner Lamy briefed on recent developments in the Doha Development Agenda (the negotiation agenda launched by the World Trade Organisation in November 2001 on Doha). The Council supported the Commission in its efforts and hoped to see progress by the end of July.
	Commissioner Lamy also briefed on negotiations with Russia on its accession to the WTO, and on negotiations with Mercosur, which were aimed at concluding an Association Agreement.
	Western Balkans
	Conclusions were agreed on Serbia and Montenegro, Macedonia and the ESDP mission to Bosnia. There was a separate discussion on the planning and preparation for the Bosnia ESDP mission. The Council requested the Presidency and Secretary General/High Representative Solana to take forward the remaining strategic planning steps before the Istanbul NATO Summit in June.
	EU-Africa
	The Council agreed Conclusions on Africa. The Presidency debriefed on the recent EU-Africa Troika meeting, highlighting the African peace and security agenda, development, governance and multilateralism. There was also Conclusions on Sudan, which expressed concern about humanitarian situation in Darfur region.
	China arms embargo
	The Council exchanged views on the arms embargo against China. The Council agreed that the issue required further discussion and asked the Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper) and the Political and Security Committee to take this forward.
	Cyprus
	Ministers discussed the situation in Cyprus following the 24 April referendum on the United Nations settlement plan. The Council also adopted Conclusions.
	Middle East Peace Process
	The Council discussed the Gaza disengagement proposals ahead of the forthcoming Ministerial Quartet meeting. The Council adopted Conclusions based on the Presidency statement made at the 15–16 April informal Foreign Ministers' meeting.
	EU-Russia
	The Council briefly discussed preparations for the 21 May EU/Russia summit in Moscow. The summit is expected to address progress achieved in the creation of the four 'common spaces' (economic; freedom, security and justice; research, education and culture; and external security).
	AOB: EU-Canada—seal hunting
	The Netherlands raised its concern about an increase in Canada's seal hunting quota. They were most concerned about the effect of hunting on the seal population and an absence of humane killing methods.

Iraq

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 26 April 2004, Official Report, column 774W, on Iraq, what form the second intelligence source reported in September 2002 took.

Jack Straw: I regret that it would not be appropriate to comment publicly on the detail of this intelligence reporting. The security and intelligence agencies are not within the scope of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (Part 1, Paragraph 6). An inquiry chaired by Lord Butler of Brockwell is currently examining the accuracy of the intelligence on Iraqi Weapons of Mass Destruction up to March 2003, and any discrepancies between the intelligence gathered, evaluated and used by the Government before the conflict, and what has been discovered by the Iraq Survey Group since the end of it.

Iraq

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 30 January 2004, Official Report, column 581W, on Iraq, whether his reference to the intelligence that the Government understand was discussed with the International Atomic Energy Authority is to the second source referred to in paragraph 93 of the Intelligence and Security Committee's report, Iraq Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Jack Straw: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer 1 gave her today (UIN 170513).

Maghreb

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the countries of the Maghreb about assistance with the development of financial and banking institutions under the framework of the Euromed and Barcelona processes.

Denis MacShane: We have no bilateral assistance programmes to the countries of the Maghreb, and have therefore had no direct discussions with them about assistance for the development of banking and financial institutions. But Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development officials do discuss such matters, and other aspects of economic development, with members of the EuroMed Partnership (which includes the countries of the Maghreb) under the economic and financial chapter of the Barcelona Process.

Maghreb

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans his Department has to take forward the Euromed process in the context of (a) the G8 summit in June, (b) the US-EU summit in June and (c) the NATO summit in June, with specific reference to the countries of the Maghreb.

Denis MacShane: As the Barcelona Process is an equal partnership between its 35 members (the EU, the Maghreb and Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey and the Palestinian Authority), it would not be appropriate to take the process forward in other fora. The Government will work with others to ensure that any discussions relating to the region with NATO, the G8 or at the EU-US Summit are consistent with the objectives of EuroMed. At the Istanbul Summit in June, Allies are expected to agree a package of measures to enhance security co-operation between NATO and the seven members of the Mediterranean Dialogue. We believe that by operating in its area of expertise, and focussing on practical co-operation, NATO's strengthened partnership will complement the Barcelona Process.

Maghreb

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans his Department has to increase engagement with non-EU Mediterranean countries in the context of the Barcelona Process, with specific reference to the countries of the Maghreb.

Denis MacShane: The Maghreb is a region of increasing importance to the UK. As part of the UK's engagement with the non-EU members of the Barcelona Process, we will host, jointly with Morocco, a EuroMed Conference to look at the social consequences of economic reform in Marrakech on 20–21 May.

Middle East

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the relationship between the EU EuroMed process and the US Greater Middle East Initiative.

Denis MacShane: The Barcelona Process (or EuroMed Partnership) and the US Greater Middle East Initiative share common objectives of promoting stability and prosperity in the region. They seek to assist the region's development through broad-based reform. The Barcelona Process is a structured process of engagement and assistance across a broad range of issues with those countries on the southern shore of the Mediterranean. The US initiative offers programme assistance in focussed areas to a broader range of countries in the Middle East region and beyond. The Government believes the Barcelona Process and the US Greater Middle East Initiative have complementary roles to play in the pursuit of common objectives.

Parliamentary Questions

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  how many (a) ordinary written and (b) named day questions his Department received in (i) the 2002–03 and (ii) this parliamentary session up to the most recent date for which figures are available, broken down by month;
	(2)  what proportion of (a) ordinary written questions to his Department were answered within five sitting days of tabling, and (b) questions for a named day received a substantive answer on that day, in (i) 2002–03 and (ii) this parliamentary Session up to the most recent date for which figures are available, broken down by month.

Jack Straw: In the 2002–03 parliamentary Session my Department received 591 named day parliamentary questions (PQs) and 2,779 ordinary written PQs. My Department answered 74 per cent. of named day PQs on time and 76 per cent. of ordinary written PQs within five working days.
	As of 4 May in the 2003–04 parliamentary Session my Department has received 250 named day PQs and 1,161 ordinary written PQs. My Department has answered 76 per cent. of named day PQs on time and 86 per cent. of ordinary written PQs within five working days.
	I have placed a copy of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office PQ statistics, broken down by month, for both parliamentary Sessions in the Library of the House.

Visa Application Centres

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to establish a visa application centre in Goa, India.

Chris Mullin: There are currently no plans to establish a visa application centre in Goa. However, the situation is kept under review.

Visa Application Centres

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visa application centres outsourced operations assisting British High Commissions.

Chris Mullin: Our most developed and largest outsourced visa application centre scheme is in India, where there are 11 visa application centres. There are another three visa application centres worldwide that are similar to the outsourced operation in India. Two are situated in Bangladesh and one in Singapore. However, there are other types of outsourced visa operations worldwide, the most common being designated couriers or designated travel agents where applications can be submitted.

Visa Application Centres

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total cost is of operating visa application centres.

Chris Mullin: All visa application centres are self-financing and are therefore of no cost to UK visas or the UK taxpayer.

Visa Application Centres

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last visited a visa application centre.

Chris Mullin: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not visited a visa application centre, and has no plans to do so presently. Visa application centres accept visa applications only and then forward them to our visa sections. All visa application decisions are still made at a visa section of one of our missions.

TREASURY

Efficiency Gains

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in implementing 2.5 per cent. per year efficiency gains since the 2004 Budget Statement.

Paul Boateng: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to my answer to him of 1 April 2004, Official Report, column 1677W, which gave more specifics of reductions in the tax—and in particular that of the 14,000 job reductions by 2007–08, 8,000 will be made by Inland Revenue, 3,000 by HM Customs and Excise and 3,000 will result from the merger.

Employment (Oldham, West and Royton)

Michael Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the levels of long-term (a) adult and (b) youth employment in Oldham, West and Royton in the last seven years.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Michael Meacher, dated 6 May 2004
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about unemployment. (170947)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of unemployment from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) following International Labour Organisation definitions. However, the LFS sample size is too small to give reliable estimates of unemployment in the Oldham, West and Royton Parliamentary Constituency.
	ONS also compiles statistics of those claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (ISA) for local areas including parliamentary constituencies.
	The attached table gives the annual average number of people claiming JSA for over 12 months, and the annual average number of these claimants aged 18 to 24 years, in the Oldham, West and Royton constituency, for each year since 1997. The table also shows the annual average total number of JSA claimants in the constituency for these years.
	
		Annual average number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance (JSA), and number claiming for at least 12 months
		
			   Claimants for at least 12 months(7) 
			 Oldham, West and Royton parliamentary constituency, 1997–2003 All claimants All ages Aged 18–24 
		
		
			 1997 2,615 664 107 
			 1998 2,319 417 53 
			 1999 2,364 388 14 
			 2000 2,092 337 15 
			 2001 2,033 267 8 
			 2002 2,013 232 11 
			 2003 1,868 175 9 
		
	
	(7) Computerised claims only.
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics.

Employment (Oldham, West and Royton)

Michael Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were employed in tourism-related jobs in Oldham, West and Royton on the latest date for which figures are available.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Michael Meacher, dated 6 May 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about tourism-related jobs in Oldham, West and Royton. (170905)
	The latest available data, from the 2002 Annual Business Inquiry, shows that the total number of jobs in tourism related industries in Oldham, West and Royton Parliamentary Constituency was 2,600. This total is obtained by combining figures for those working in the following industries, as identified by Standard Industrial Classification 2003:
	hotels
	restaurants
	bars
	activities of travel agencies
	library, archives, museums etc
	sporting activities
	other recreational activities.

Government Revenue

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of which significant economic factors have had an effect on the level of Government revenue over the last seven years.

Ruth Kelly: An assessment on the main economic factors effecting Government revenues is made available each year in the public finances chapter of the pre-Budget report and Budget.

National Insurance Contributions/Numbers

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the effect on revenue from employee national insurance contributions (NICs) if the rate of NICs for employees who are not contracted out of the state second pension were to be reduced to the rate currently paid by employees who are contracted out.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 5 May 2004
	The Government Actuary's Department estimates that rebates worth £1.9 billion would be accrued if all contracted-in employees were to pay national insurance contributions that were reduced by 1.6 per cent. of earnings between the lower earnings limit and upper earnings limit in 2004–05. This estimate excludes the additional age-related or employer rebates that would be paid for a contracted-out person.

National Insurance Contributions/Numbers

Norman Lamb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what checks are made on the national insurance numbers used by employment agencies and gangmasters; what action is taken if a non-valid national insurance number is being used for an individual employed by an agency or a gangmaster; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The Inland Revenue check the validity of national insurance numbers which are notified to them by an employer (including as appropriate gangmasters or employment agencies) when a new employee joins, and at the end of each tax year as part of the employer's annual return. Where a non-valid national insurance number has been used, the Inland Revenue will attempt to trace a valid number for the individual involved. Where this cannot be done, the Inland Revenue will write to the employer asking him to provide a valid national insurance number for that employee.

Tax Credits

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in West Lancashire have received child tax credit.

Dari Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Stockton, South have received child tax credit.

Ruth Kelly: I refer my hon. Friends to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Burton (Mrs. Dean) on 15 March 2004, Official Report, column 98W.

Tax Credits

Dari Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many senior citizens in Stockton, South qualified for the 10p rate of income tax in each year since its introduction.

Ruth Kelly: All income taxpayers benefit from the 10p starting rate. The Survey of Personal Incomes estimates there are about 6,000 and 7,000 state retirement pension age taxpayers in the Stockton, South constituency in 2000–01 and 2001–02 respectively. However, year on year comparisons should be treated with caution because of sampling variation. Figures for 1999–2000 are currently not available.

Tax Avoidance

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent agreements he has reached with regard to the creation of an international tax avoidance prevention task force; and what contribution he proposes to make to such a task force.

Ruth Kelly: As a result of a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Williamsburg, Virginia on 23 April 2004, the Tax Commissioners of Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States will establish a joint task force, within the framework of bilateral tax treaties, to increase collaboration and coordinate information about abusive tax transactions, arrangements and schemes.
	The task force will be comprised of officials from the respective tax administrations. It will supplement the on-going work of these administrations in addressing the challenges arising from abusive tax transactions.

Tax Rates

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many senior citizens in Preston qualified for the 10p rate of income tax in each year since its introduction.

Ruth Kelly: All income taxpayers benefit from the 10p starting rate. The Survey of Personal Incomes estimates there are about 5,000 and 6,000 state retirement pension age taxpayers in the Preston constituency in 2000–01 and 2001–02 respectively. However, year-on-year comparisons should be treated with caution because of sampling variation. Figures for 1999–2000 are currently not available.

Tax Rates

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many senior citizens in the Huntingdon constituency qualified for the 10p rate of income tax in each year since its introduction.

Ruth Kelly: All income taxpayers benefit from the 10p starting rate. The Survey of Personal Incomes estimates there are about 10,000 state retirement pension age taxpayers in the Huntingdon constituency in 2000–01 and 2001–02. Estimates should be treated with caution because of sampling variation. Figures for 1999–2000 are currently not available.

Tax Rates

Michael Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many senior citizens in Oldham, West and Royton qualified for the 10p rate of income tax in each year since its introduction.

Ruth Kelly: All income taxpayers benefit from the 10p starting rate. The Survey of Personal Incomes estimates there are about 5,000 state retirement pension age taxpayers in the Oldham, West and Royton constituency in 2001–02. In the Survey of Personal Incomes the sample size of pensioners living in this constituency is relatively small compared to other constituencies so a reliable estimate cannot be given for 2000–01 and the estimate for 2001–02 should be treated with caution because of sampling variation. Figures for 1999–2000 are currently not available.

Unemployment (Huntingdon)

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the level of unemployment was in the Huntingdon constituency in each year since 1997.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Jonathan Djanogly, dated 6 May 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about unemployment. (170844)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics of unemployment from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) following International Labour Organisation definitions. However, the LFS sample size is too small to give reliable estimates of unemployment in the Huntingdon Constituency.
	ONS also compiles statistics of those claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) for local areas including parliamentary constituencies.
	The table below gives the annual average number of JSA claimants for the Huntingdon constituency for each year since 1997.
	
		Annual average number of JSA claimants—Huntingdon constituency, 1997–2003
		
			  Number of claimants 
		
		
			 1997 1,451 
			 1998 1,214 
			 1999 1,198 
			 2000 964 
			 2001 712 
			 2002 786 
			 2003 870

CABINET OFFICE

Recycled Paper

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office by what date his Department expects to implement in full the quick win targets set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that (a) all copying paper bought by the Department is 100 per cent. recycled with a minimum of 75 per cent. post-consumer waste content and (b) all paper for printed publications bought by the Department is 60 per cent. recycled, of which a minimum is 75 per cent. post-consumer waste.

Douglas Alexander: The Cabinet Office has already implemented in full the quick win targets for copying paper and paper for printed publications.

Regulatory Impact Assessments

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which of the regulatory impact assessments used in the Burdens Barometer 2004 published by the British chambers of commerce relate to legislation originating from (a) the UK Parliament and (b) the EU.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 4 May 2004
	The Regulatory Impact Assessments which the British Chambers of Commerce used in their "Burdens Barometer 2004" are a matter for them.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

CPS Guidance

Nick Hawkins: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what guidance on which matters to prosecute his Department and its predecessor have given to the Crown Prosecution Service since May 1997; and if he will publish all such guidance issued.

Christopher Leslie: None. Ministerial responsibility for Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) lies with the Law Officers. CPS Prosecution decisions are undertaken in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors. Specific guidance on prosecuting particular offences is contained in the CPS Prosecution Manual. This guidance and the Code are published under the CPS Freedom of Information publication scheme.

Juries

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether the consultation paper on jury research and investigations into juror impropriety has been published.

Christopher Leslie: The consultation paper has not yet been published.

Operation Payback

Ben Chapman: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will make a statement on the implementation of Operation Payback on the Wirral;

Christopher Leslie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 4 May 2004, Official Report, column 1453W.

Queen's Counsel

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what discussions he has had with the legal professions concerning the future of the QC system.

Christopher Leslie: The Secretary of State and his officials have discussed the future of the QC rank with representatives of the legal professional bodies for England and Wales and Northern Ireland.

Speed Cameras

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much money was received by central Government funds in 2003 in Northern Ireland in fines paid by motorists who were prosecuted for speeding as a result of the location of fixed cameras.

Christopher Leslie: Between 1 July 2003, when the fixed speed camera initiative commenced and 31 December 2003, the money received in fines paid by motorists prosecuted for speeding as a result of the location of fixed cameras was £412,223.

Trials (Merseyside)

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what steps he is taking to reduce the percentage of ineffective trials in Merseyside.

Christopher Leslie: From 1 April 2003 to 31t March 2004 the ineffective trial rate in Merseyside decreased from 36.7 per cent. to 34.8 per cent..
	The following initiatives have recently been implemented in Merseyside to further reduce ineffective trials. The Effective Trial Management Programme (ETMP) was rolled out in February 2004. ETMP is part of the Government's Criminal Case Management Programme which incorporates the "Charging" and "No Witness, No Justice" initiatives, with a view to improving the criminal justice process. A fifth District Judge and an extra Deputy District Judge have been appointed to the Liverpool Magistrates' Court and a case progression system has been initiated to track the progress of all cases listed for trial. The impact of these will continue to improve performance in the Magistrates' Courts.
	In the Crown Courts the latest figure for March 2004 is 25.1 per cent.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Adoption

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children aged (a) under two and (b) over two years were adopted in each of the last five years.

Margaret Hodge: The following table shows the number of looked after children adopted in England during the years ending 31 March 1999 to 2003.
	
		Looked after children adopted during the years ending 31March(8)
		
			 Age at adoption 1999 2 2000 2 2001 3 2002 3 2003 3 
		
		
			 Under 2 600 680 800 900 1,000 
			 2 and over 1,600 2,100 2,200 2,500 2,500 
			 Total 2,200 2,700 3,100 3,400 3,500 
		
	
	(8) Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short-term placements.
	(9) Figures are based on the Key Statistics Return (KS1) and the SSDA903 sample return.
	(10) Figures are based on the AD1 return.

Adoption

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many adoption placements broke down in each of the last five years.

Margaret Hodge: The following table shows the estimated number of placements for adoption in England that ended without the making of an adoption order during the years ending 31 March 1999 to 2003.
	
		
			  Number of placements that ended without the making of an adoption order1, 2 
		
		
			 1999 320 
			 2000 260 
			 2001 270 
			 2002 270 
			 2003 250 
		
	
	(11) Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short-term placements.
	(12) Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	Source:
	The information provided is derived from the SSDA903 return, a one-third sample survey of all looked after children in England, and as such these are estimated figures.

African Educational Institutions

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assistance his Department gives to English schools to work with schools in Africa.

Alan Johnson: My Department is committed to international school linking and partnership activity, which can provide a powerful and enjoyable framework for the delivery of curriculum objectives, increase motivation, and raise awareness of citizenship and global issues within schools.
	To encourage and support this aim the Global Gateway, our new one-stop-shop website for international education, was launched in February 2004. Managed on our behalf by the British Council, the Global Gateway, enables schools to find partner schools in other countries and provides information about development programmes.
	My Department funds various programmes through which schools are supported in their work with Africa. This includes:
	grant funding to the British Council to provide school linking services and advice, grants for schools to go on linking visits, and to deliver specific programmes such as the linking of 150 schools to South African schools;
	grant funding to the League for the Exchange of Commonwealth Teachers, to pay for teacher exchange and linking throughout the Commonwealth including a range of African countries;
	the Teachers' International Professional Development (TIPD) Programme, introduced in May 2000, which promotes links between UK schools and schools in other countries by providing for teacher study visits. To date 1,053 teachers have visited Africa on this programme;
	support for the teacher development work and opportunities offered by Voluntary Services Overseas, including support for the Sabbatical Guide booklet (produced in 2003). We are also developing new work, such as with the Link Community Development on the 'Global Teachers Awards' under which 50 teachers a year will work on educational projects in Africa;
	In addition, our Sustainable Development Action Plan in Education and Skills aims to raise awareness of global development issues and developing countries in our schools, and we are working closely with the Department for International Development and other organisations to deliver this goal.

Apprenticeships

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many residents of Oldham, West and Royton have undertaken apprenticeships in each of the last five years.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not available at parliamentary constituency level. Nor is the information available on a consistent geographical basis over the last five years. However, the following table shows the number of starts on modern apprenticeships in the Greater Manchester Learning and Skills Council (LSC) area between April 2001 and the end of July 2003, as well as the number of starts from April 1996 to March 2001 in the six Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs) that amalgamated into Greater Manchester LSC—Bolton and Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport and High Peak and Wigan.
	
		
			 TEC/LSC Advanced MAs Foundation MAs 
		
		
			 April 1998 to March 1999   
			 Bolton and Bury CCTE 800 600 
			 Manchester 2,400 700 
			 Oldham CCTE 400 300 
			 Rochdale CCTE 500 100 
			 Stockport and High Peak(13) 800 100 
			 Wigan CCTE 700 300 
			
			 April 1999 to March 2000   
			 Bolton and Bury CCTE 900 1000 
			 Manchester 2,800 1,800 
			 Oldham CCTE 500 500 
			 Rochdale CCTE 500 600 
			 Stockport and High Peak(13) 700 700 
			 Wigan CCTE 700 600 
			
			 April 2000 to March 2001   
			 Bolton and Bury CCTE 700 1,200 
			 Manchester 3,200 2,600 
			 Oldham CCTE 500 700 
			 Rochdale CCTE 400 700 
			 Stockport and High Peak(13) 800 1,000 
			 Wigan CCTE 900 800 
			
			 April 2001 to July 2002   
			 Greater Manchester LSC 4,800 9,800 
			
			 March 2001 to July 2002   
			 Greater Manchester LSC 2,900 6,800 
		
	
	(13) Denotes TEC also became part of Derbyshire LSC
	Notes:
	TECs reported the figures in financial years. LSC reports figures in academic years.
	Source:
	TEC management information
	LSC Individualised Learner Record
	The first LSC 'year' was 16 months in order to bring the financial year figures into line with academic years.

Boarding Schools

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many boarding schools the National Care Standards Commission has inspected; how many were identified as having a significant defect; and if he will estimate the cost of such inspections in each year since the inspections began.

Margaret Hodge: Boarding schools are inspected once every three years.
	Between 1 April 2002 and 29 February 2004, 116 boarding schools have been inspected by the National Care Standards Commission. The estimated cost of each of these inspections was £1,477 for 2002–03 and £1,566 for 2003–04.
	Where the National Care Standards Commission had concerns about services failing to safeguard the welfare of children provided with accommodation by a school or college, they were required under section 105(2) of the Care Standards Act 2000, to make a statutory notification to (i) the relevant education authority or (ii) the Secretary of State. Two such notifications have been made between 1 April 2002 and 29 February 2004.

Building Schools for the Future

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress he is making with his Building Schools for the Future programme.

David Miliband: We have made excellent progress on Building Schools for the Future, working closely with local government and other partners. This is starting to deliver our commitment to a 10 to 15-year programme of rebuilding and renewal to ensure that secondary education in every part of England has facilities of 21-Century standard.
	Four in five respondents to our consultation last year supported our new approach to capital investment. In February 2004, we announced the first wave of 16 projects, involving an estimated 180 schools across 19 local authorities. We also published 11 exemplar designs which show what the schools of the future may look like. This month, we have established Partnerships for Schools, a new body to ensure that the investment is good value for money. Lastly, following the Chancellor's announcement of this Department's spending review settlement, we are well placed to announce the next waves of projects later this year.

Child Care Subsidies

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions he has had with providers of subsidies for child care places; and which three sources provided the highest subsidy for child careplaces in the latest year for which figures are available.

Margaret Hodge: We hold discussions with a range of organisations that help with the cost of child care in variety of ways, on both the supply and demand sides. Government provides the following substantial support for key groups of parents with their child care costs:
	The working tax credit where working parents can receive help with up to 70 per cent. of the costs of child care, subject to limits of £200 a week, or £135 a week for one child. This is paying out well over £700 million a year and can help families with incomes up to £42,500, where the family has two or more children;
	The Care to Learn scheme for teenage parents that can provide up to £5,000 a year for those returning to education;
	The new deal for lone parents can cover child care costs for lone parents going on training, attending interviews or working up to 16 hours a week, up to the same limits as the child care element of the Working Tax Credit;
	The Childcare Grant pays full time HE students with dependent children up to 85 per cent. of actual child care costs up to the same limits as for the WTC;
	The national health service provided over £70 million since April 2001 for child care for NHS staff, with a significant amount of that being capital costs for building nurseries or direct subsidies to parents to help with child care costs.
	Help with the cost of child care was considered as part of the child care review and in the Budget we announced that:
	From April 2005 a new tax exemption will apply to both employer-contracted child care and child care vouchers to encourage more employers to support their staff with child care.
	Government will be consulting in Summer 2004 on a voluntary light touch approval scheme extending access to the child care element of the working tax credit to users of a broad range of additional types of child care, to be implemented by April 2005.
	It is not possible to make meaningful comparisons between organisations that subsidise the cost of child care but the recently published National Audit Office report (Early Years: Progress in developing high quality child care and early education accessible to all, HC 268, 27 February 2004) provides a helpful overview of the situation, showing, on page three, how much different sectors contributed to the total cost of child care across the country in 2002–03:
	
		
			  £ million Percentage 
		
		
			 Private individuals (parents) 3,010 45 
			 Local government 2,540 38 
			 DfES and Sure Start 680 10 
			 Childcare Tax Credit 315 5 
			 Private companies 140 2

Child Abuse

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what restrictions there are on convicted child abusers working (a) as private tutors and (b) in private schools.

Margaret Hodge: My Department's guidance to employers in the education service makes it clear that thorough checks should be carried out on all people who are appointed to work with children, including people who are employed as private tutors by agencies, and people who work in private schools. We recommend that employers check a person's identity, academic qualifications, professional and character references, previous employment history, criminal record, List 99 status, health, and in the case of teachers, whether they are registered with the General Teaching Council.
	Parents and other individuals are not able to obtain criminal record or List 99 checks on self-employed private tutors, but can safeguard against employing a convicted child abuser by engaging a private tutor through a tuition agency.

Connexions

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many young people with learning disabilities have used the Connexions Service, broken down by region, in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: Information on the use of Connexions services by young people with learning disabilities is not collected centrally.
	In support of their key target of reducing the proportion of young people who are not in education, employment or training, many Connexions Partnerships have agreed a local target to increase the proportion of 16–19 year olds with learning difficulties and disabilities in education, employment and training. It is encouraging that there was a small increase of two percentage points in the numbers of young people with learning difficulties and disabilities in education, employment or training between June 2003 and March 2004.

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received concerning the effect on private contractors of his Department's encouragement of Connexions partnerships to improve tax efficiency; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: My Department has received a number of representations from private companies, Connexions Partnerships and other organisations regarding the effect on private contractors of the need to reduce VAT transition funding.
	The decision about what tax efficiency means for each partnership, is the responsibility of individual Boards. Establishing a tax efficient delivery model does not necessarily affect the relationship with private sector companies. But the Department remains in discussion with representatives from Connexions service providers and will continue to consider any issues that they bring forward.
	Some partnerships have for some time been in the process of changing their model of governance. The need for tax efficiencies has not always been the catalyst for this but it does bring these partnerships in to line with others looking at how they structure themselves to become more tax efficient.

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many contracts between the Connexions Service and private contractors have been terminated in the last year; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: One private sector contract has been terminated in the last year by Essex Southend and Thurrock Connexions Partnership. In addition, Lifetime Careers (part of the Nord Anglia group) were not selected by Greater Manchester Connexions to deliver services in Stockport and Bury in 2004–05 following a competitive tendering exercise.

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many subcontracting Connexions Partnerships have a local authority as the lead body for the receipt of grant.

Margaret Hodge: Of the 47 Connexions Partnerships, there are three subcontracting Connexions Partnerships who have a local authority as the lead body—Hertfordshire Connexions, Norfolk Connexions and Central London Connexions.

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many private sector contractors have been used by the Connexions Service in each year since its establishment.

Margaret Hodge: Connexions Partnerships are themselves private companies. Many will also sub contract some services to other private sector companies. Information on the numbers involved is not collected centrally.

Dyslexia

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to identify cases of dyslexia at the earliest opportunity; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: Early intervention is one of the key themes of "Removing Barriers To Achievement", our strategy for special educational needs, published in February. Guidance on identifying and assessing special educational needs is given in the SEN Code of Practice, to which schools and local education authorities must have regard. A range of material for teachers on dyslexia and dyscalculia has also been produced as part of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies to help promote inclusion of pupils with specific learning difficulties. The guidance has been well received and other material is in preparation.
	The Department continues to work closely with the British Dyslexia Association and the Dyslexia Institute to help raise awareness and develop new resources that will be of practical assistance to teachers and other staff. We have, for example, supported a dyslexia friendly schools pack and a handy hints poster for primary schools. The Department has also supported research into eye movement characteristics as a possible means of identifying dyslexia.

Early Years Education

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps have been taken to deliver Early Years education in rural areas; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: All authorities have received sufficient funding to enable them to fund free places for all three and four-year-olds whose parents want one, through the under-fives sub-block of their Education Formula Spending Share (EFSS)—the main source of funding for education. For 2004–05, over £2.6 billion of EFSS was distributed through the under-five sub-block. The funding includes 'top ups' which relate to the LA's local circumstances i.e. deprivation and area costs.

Education (Heywood and Middleton)

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many and what percentage of pupils in Heywood and Middleton reached the (a) mathematics and (b) English standard in each of the last seven years;
	(2)  how many and what percentage of 11-year-old pupils in Heywood and Middleton reached level four in (a) mathematics and (b) English in each of the last seven years.

David Miliband: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Pupils achieving Level 4+: Mathematics Pupils achieving Level 4+: English 
			Heywood and Middleton England   Heywood and Middleton England 
			  Number Percentage Percentage Number Percentage Percentage 
		
		
			 2003 936 69 73 927 69 75 
			 2002 1,031 72 73 1,069 75 75 
			 2001 981 69 71 1,056 74 75 
			 2000 975 72 72 991 73 75 
			 1999 993 72 69 997 72 71 
			 1998 790 58 59 882 65 65 
			 1997 787 61 62 780 61 63

Education (Heywood and Middleton)

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding was spent on higher education in Heywood and Middleton in each of the last seven years.

Alan Johnson: The only publicly-funded institution providing higher education in Heywood and Middleton is Hopwood Hall College. The amounts of public funding spent in the years for which figures are available are shown in the table. Expenditure was by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and by the Student Loans Company (SLC). The latter relates only to spending on tuition fees, student loans (cash cost) and the dependants grant. Data prior to 1999/2000 are not available. The figures for student support do not include spending on other additional grants, namely, disabled students allowance, care leavers grant and travel grant. These were paid through local education authorities, up to 2003/04, and figures are not held centrally.
	
		£000
		
			 Academic Year HEFCE funding SLC funding 
		
		
			 1999/2000 264 183.9 
			 2000/01 273 232.5 
			 2001/02 342.5 367.3 
			 2002/03 443 405.7 
			 2003/04 508.2 n/a 
		
	
	In addition, institutions located outside Heywood and Middleton may be undertaking activities in the area, for example, outreach to raise the attainment and aspirations of potential higher education entrants, or special arrangements with schools and colleges to improve progression into higher education. This information is not held centrally.

Education (Stalybridge and Hyde)

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding has been spent on higher education in Stalybridge and Hyde in each of the last seven years.

Alan Johnson: The only publicly funded institution providing higher education in Stalybridge and Hyde is Tameside college. The amounts of public funding spent in the years in which figures are available are shown in the following table. Expenditure was by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and by the Student Loans Company (SLC). The latter relates only to spending on tuition fees, student loans (cash cost) and the dependants grant. Data prior to 1999–2000 are not available. The figures for student support do not include spending on other additional grants, namely, disabled students allowance, care leavers grant and travel grant. These were paid through local education authorities, up to 2003–04, and the figures are not held centrally.
	
		£000
		
			 Academic year HEFCE funding SLC funding 
		
		
			 999/2000 455 336.1 
			 2000/01 562 363.4 
			 2001/02 636 431 
			 2002/03 670 495.3 
			 2003/04 724 n/a 
		
	
	In addition, institutions located outside Stalybridge and Hyde may be undertaking activities in the area, for example outreach to raise the attainment and aspirations of potential higher education entrants, or special arrangements with schools and colleges to improve progression into higher education. This information is not held centrally.

Education (Stalybridge and Hyde)

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of pupils in Stalybridge and Hyde reached the (a) mathematics and (b) English standard in each of the last seven years.

David Miliband: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Pupils achieving Level 4+: Mathematics Pupils achieving Level 4+: English 
			  Stalybridge and Hyde   England Stalybridge and Hyde   England 
			  Number Percentage Percentage Number Percentage Percentage 
		
		
			 2003 855 71 73 893 74 75 
			 2002 902 72 73 904 72 75 
			 2001 875 71 71 914 74 75 
			 2000 904 70 72 933 72 75 
			 1999 824 64 69 861 67 71 
			 1998 667 53 59 740 58 65 
			 1997 650 54 62 695 58 63

Education (Oldham, West and Royton)

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how much funding each school in Oldham, West and Royton has received from the New Deal for Schools;
	(2)  how much public funding has been spent on repairing schools in Oldham, West and Royton in each year since 1997.

David Miliband: Table A shows schools in Oldham, West and Royton constituency that benefited from investment through the New Deals for Schools (NDS) programme, which ran between 1997–98 and 2000–01.
	Since 2001, the majority of capital support has been allocated to schools and local education authorities by formula, and they decide how to invest it in line with their asset management plans. The Department does not, therefore, have complete information about capital investment at constituency level; this should be held locally. Table B sets out the capital support provided by the Department to Oldham local education authority and its schools since 1997–98, in total and by programme (including all allocations through NDS mentioned in table A).
	
		Table A: NDS allocations to schools in Oldham and Royton constituency
		
			 Year/School Project Package Grant (£) 
		
		
			 NDS1(14) 1997/98
			 Whitegate End Junior and Infant School Roof renewal LEA wide grant 784,000 
			 South Chadderton School Laboratory refurbishment LEA wide grant 784,000 
			 Grange School Re-roofing of main block and sports hall LEA wide grant 784,000 
			 Yew Tree Junior School Roofing security measures LEA wide grant 784,000 
			 Corpus Christi RC Primary School Security fencing LEA wide grant 784,000 
			 Grange School Security CCTV LEA wide grant 784,000 
			 Broadfield Primary School Security fencing LEA wide grant 784,000 
			 St. Martin's CofE Junior Infant and Nursery School Security fencing LEA wide grant 784,000 
			 
			 NDS2 1998/99
			 The Hathershaw Technology College Replacement of the heating system — 641,580 
			 Grange School Replacement of the heating system — 542,790 
			 The Hathershaw Technology College Re-roofing and associated window replacements — 625,000 
			 Byron Street Infant and Nursery School Renewal of the roof covering and rainwater goods and upgrading of insulation — 194,997 
			 The Radclyffe School Improved access and escape arrangements — 71,500 
			 Mills Hill Primary School Replacement of the Early Years Building — 515,500 
			 
			 NDS3 1999/2000
			 Burnley Brow Community School Replacement of School — 3,344,291 
			 
			 NDS4 2000/01
			 The Radclyffe School Re-roofing and asbestos removal — 149,336 
			 Freehold Community Junior Infant and Nursery School New Roof — 103,351 
			 Holy Rosary RC Junior Infant and Nursery School Electrical re-wire — 112,284 
			 Fitton Hill Infant and Nursery School Replacement of Boiler/Heating system — 109,697 
			 Firbank Junior and Infant School Replacement of boiler plant — 51,884 
			 Bare Trees Junior School Replacement of boiler/heating system — 159,935 
			 Royton and Crompton School Replacement of dilapidated temporary classrooms — 105,934 
			 St. Hilda's CofE Primary School Replacement of boiler/heating system — 202,768 
			 South Chadderton School Re-roofing — 57,923 
			 St. Anne's CofE Junior and Infant School Replacement of Boiler Plant and Heating System — 214,447 
			 North Chadderton School Window replacements — 193,949 
		
	
	(14) For NDS 1, the grant of £784,000 was allocated for Oldham local education authority as a whole, part of which was used for capital investment at each of the schools mentioned in the Oldham and Royton constituency. The LEA will be able to say how much was allocated to each school.
	
		Table B: Capital allocations—Oldham education authority -- £000
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Assistance with Asset Management Plans — — 35 — — — — 
			 Voluntary Aided formulaic allocations — — — — 68 386 499 
			 Basic Need 1,630 2,564 982 1,206 245 107 167 
			 City Learning Centres — — — — 93 — — 
			 Class Size initiative — 1,112 1,363 22 234 1,436 — 
			 Condition — — — — 1,810 2,792 3,621 
			 Devolved Formula — — — 1,876 1,516 2,314 3,560 
			 Energy — 85 — — — — — 
			 Modernisation — — — — — 1,381 2,669 
			 NDS 1 784 — — — — — — 
			 NDS 2 — 2,591 — — — — — 
			 NDS 3 — — 3,344 — — — — 
			 NDS 4 — — — 3,369 — — — 
			 Nursery Provision — — — 66 — — — 
			 School Labs — — — 174 174 — — 
			 School Security 70 87 88 88 62 53 — 
			 Schools Access Initiative 31 70 100 140 232 375 549 
			 Secondary Learning Support Units — — — 77 67 — — 
			 Seed Challenge — — — 179 198 332 330 
			 Specialist Schools — — — 200 — 200 — 
			 Staff Workspace — — — — — 69 139 
			 Supplementary Credit Approvals 1,336 109 — 54 507 25 — 
			 Supplementary NDS for VA Schools — — — 129 47 — — 
			 Targeted Capital Funding — — — — 1,116 5,000 2,508 
			 Voluntary Aided School Grant 773 286 350 615 1,539 1,930 — 
			 Total 4,624 6,904 6,262 8,195 7,908 16,400 14,042 
		
	
	To date we have allocated £75.4 million capital funding for 2004–05 and 2005–06, including £60 million of PFI credits.

Education (Huntingdon)

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teaching assistants there were in schools in the Huntingdon constituency in (a) each of the last seven years and (b) on the latest date for which figures were available.

David Miliband: The following table gives the full-time equivalent number of teaching assistants employed in maintained schools in Huntingdon constituency in each January between 1997 and 2003, the latest year for which data are available.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 210 
			 1998 240 
			 1999 260 
			 2000 260 
			 2001 320 
			 2002 340 
			 2003 370 
		
	
	Source:
	Annual School Census.

Education (Huntingdon)

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teacher vacancies there were in schools in the Huntingdon constituency on the latest date for which figures are available; and what steps he has taken to reduce them.

David Miliband: Information on teacher vacancies is not available by constituency as it is collected at local education authority level. In January 2003, the latest information available, there were 32 full-time teacher vacancies in Cambridgeshire local education authority.
	Like other areas, since 1997 Cambridgeshire has benefited from the initiatives that the Government has put in place to recruit and retain teachers and to increase the number of staff supporting them in schools. Since 1997, the number of full-time equivalent regular teachers in maintained schools in the former Cambridgeshire LEA area has risen by 450 from 5,400 to 5,850 in 2003. Over the same period, the number of full-time equivalent school support staff in the area has grown by 1,080 from 2,470 to 3,550 in 2003.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the number of young people who will continue in education as a result of the education maintenance allowance.

Ivan Lewis: The estimated number of young people of compulsory school leaving age expected to continue in full time education in 2004–05 is 505,000. This is out of a population of 666,000. Based on evidence from the pilot evaluation the Centre for Research in Social Policy and the Institute of Fiscal Studies an additional 72,000 young people will be participating in further education by 2006–07 as a result of the EMA.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  in which education authority areas pupils are able to benefit from the education maintenance allowance; and how many qualify in each;
	(2)  in which education authority areas pupils are not able to benefit from the education maintenance allowance; and how many would have qualified for the allowance in each;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the likely take-up of education maintenance allowance and the costs.

Ivan Lewis: At present, young people are able to receive an education maintenance allowance (EMA) if they live in one of the 56 LEA pilot areas listed in table one. This table also shows for each LEA area the numbers of young people who have benefited from EMA in each area. It should be noted that different LEAs have been testing different versions of the scheme, in order to inform our decisions about the best national model.
	
		Table one: EMA pilot areas and recipients in 2003/04
		
			 Local education authority Number of students who have received EMA in 2003/04 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 924 
			 Barnsley 1,377 
			 Birmingham 9,780 
			 Bolton 2,227 
			 Bradford 4,417 
			 Brent 1,767 
			 Camden 1,206 
			 Cornwall 4,968 
			 Coventry 1,089 
			 Doncaster 2,492 
			 Ealing 1,618 
			 Gateshead 1,780 
			 Greenwich 1,404 
			 Hackney 1,887 
			 Halton 1,127 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 853 
			 Haringey 1,183 
			 Hartlepool 807 
			 Islington 1,324 
			 Kingston upon Hull 2,025 
			 Knowsley 1,943 
			 Lambeth 1,603 
			 Lancashire (East) 2,268 
			 Leeds 4,764 
			 Leicester 3,554 
			 Lewisham 1,903 
			 Lincolnshire (N.E.) 1,364 
			 Liverpool 4,821 
			 Luton 1,796 
			 Manchester 4,554 
			 Middlesbrough 1,112 
			 Newham 2,577 
			 North Tyneside 1,500 
			 Northumberland 2,632 
			 Nottingham 2,907 
			 Oldham 2,510 
			 Salford 1,212 
			 Sandwell 1,872 
			 Sheffield 3,876 
			 Southampton 1,285 
			 Southwark 1,370 
			 South Tyneside 1,604 
			 St. Helens 1,428 
			 Stoke on Trent 2,705 
			 Suffolk 2,460 
			 Sunderland 2,287 
			 Tameside 2,117 
			 Tower Hamlets 2,754 
			 Wakefield 2,249 
			 Walsall 2,473 
			 Waltham Forest 1,140 
			 Wandsworth 1,055 
			 Wigan 2,453 
			 Wirral 2,457 
			 Wolverhampton 2,377 
			 Worcestershire 2,960 
			 England—total 128,197 
		
	
	From September 2004, the national EMA scheme will be available throughout England to all young people aged 16 at the start of the 2004/05 academic year who meet the eligibility criteria. It will also to be available to 17 and 18-year-olds in the pilot areas. Our forecast is that around 270,000 young people will take up EMA in 2004/05. By 2006 EMA will provide support to over 400,000 young people.
	The Department estimates the cost of the education maintenance allowance Scheme over the next three financial years to be:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2004–05 275 
			 2005–06 403 
			 2006–07 476 
		
	
	These estimates take account of the phased roll-out to one cohort at a time and the cost of administering, promoting and evaluating the scheme.

English/Mathematics

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of 11-year-old pupils in Burnley reached level four in (a) mathematics and (b) English in each of the last seven years.

David Miliband: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Pupils achieving Level 4+: Mathematics Pupils achieving Level 4+: English 
			Burnley England   Burnley England 
			  Number Percentage Percentage Number Percentage Percentage 
		
		
			 2003 876 67 73 918 70 75 
			 2002 939 69 73 931 68 75 
			 2001 879 68 71 905 70 75 
			 2000 896 70 72 935 73 75 
			 1999 913 66 69 909 66 71 
			 1998 775 58 59 830 62 65 
			 1997 784 59 62 785 59 63

English/Mathematics

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of 11-year-old pupils in Preston reached level four in (a) mathematics and (b) English in each of the last seven years.

David Miliband: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Pupils achieving Level 4+: Mathematics Pupils achieving Level 4+: English 
			Preston England   Preston England 
			  Number Percentage Percentage Number Percentage Percentage 
		
		
			 2003 851 68 73 850 68 75 
			 2002 864 68 73 843 66 75 
			 2001 827 62 71 894 67 75 
			 2000 819 65 72 844 67 75 
			 1999 794 61 69 798 62 71 
			 1998 655 51 59 762 60 65 
			 1997 664 52 62 666 53 63

Field Trips

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of field trips available to (a) GCSE science and (b) A-level biology students;
	(2)  if his Department will commission research to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the state of fieldwork in secondary science education for 14 to 19 year olds;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the report by the National Foundation for Educational Research on Outdoor Learning; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: We have no plans to commission further research to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of fieldwork in secondary science education for 14 to 19 year olds, having only just received the findings of NfER's "Outdoor Learning Review", which we partly funded. My officials will meet the English Outdoor Council, who also partly funded the review, in the near future to discuss ways forward.
	We are already working with the Field Studies Council, subject associations and others, together with our new national network of Science Learning Centres, to develop continuing professional development to improve teachers' confidence and skills in the planning, risk assessment and management of fieldwork. We see these as the key to developing both the quantity and quality of fieldwork in 14–19 science. This is in addition to the Science and Geography teaching resources provided by our Growing Schools programme.

Further Education (Level 2)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to expand the number of places available on level two courses in further education colleges.

Alan Johnson: The availability of learning at level two in further education institutions is key to meeting our Skills Strategy objective, outlined in the White Paper 21st Century Skills—Realising Our Potential, of reducing the number of adults without the foundation of skills needed for employability. Local Learning and Skills Councils are prioritising level two provision for those lacking such skills in their discussions with colleges about their plans for 2004–05. From September this year we will be trialling, in the North East and South East regions, a new entitlement enabling adults in the labour force without a full level two qualification to have access to free learning for their first full level two qualification.

Higher Education

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many admissions to the higher education sector there have been of students from (a) overseas, (b) the Gulf States and (c) the United Arab Emirates in each of the last 10 years.

Alan Johnson: The available figures covering all overseas entrants to higher education in UK HE institutions are given in the table.
	
		Overseas domiciled entrants(15) to UK HE institutions
		
			 Academic year All non-EU overseas Gulf States(16) United Arab Emirates 
		
		
			 1994/95 47,776 1,337 231 
			 1995/96 50,332 1,504 256 
			 1996/97 51,604 1,639 338 
			 1997/98 57,133 1,739 302 
			 1998/99 58,481 2,144 357 
			 1999/2000 61,385 2,407 427 
			 2000/01 68,879 2,439 466 
			 2001/02 78,625 2,419 498 
			 2002/03 98,538 3,027 528 
		
	
	(15) Figures are a snapshot as at 1 December and cover both postgraduate and undergraduate study.
	(16) Includes: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen and Qatar.
	Source:
	Higher Education Statistics Agency.

Higher Education

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding has been spent on higher education in Manchester, Gorton in each of the last seven years.

Alan Johnson: There is no higher education institution in Manchester Gorton receiving funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England. We are aware of a small number of students (less than 10 in the 2002/03 academic year) at the Partnership for Theological Education receiving financial support via the Student Loans Company (SLC). The available figures for funding for these students are shown below. These relate only to funding for tuition fees, student loans (cash cost) and the Dependants Grant. Data prior to 1999/2000 are not available. The figures do not include any spending on other additional grants, namely Disabled Students Allowances, Care Leavers Grant and Travel Grant. These were paid through local education authorities, up to 2003/04, and figures are not held centrally.
	
		
			 Academic year SLC funding (£000) 
		
		
			 1999/2000 29.2 
			 2000/01 49.5 
			 2001/02 47 
			 2002/03 28.4 
		
	
	In addition, institutions located outside Manchester Gorton may be undertaking activities in the area, for example outreach to raise the attainment and aspirations of potential higher education entrants, or special arrangements with schools and colleges to improve progression into higher education. This information is not held centrally.

Industry Interchange

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to encourage a greater interchange of staff between education and industry; and what discussions he has had (a) with other departments and (b) with employers on how best to facilitate such an interchange.

Ivan Lewis: My Department supports a number of schemes that encourage greater interchange of staff between education and industry: the Learning and Skills Council's Professional Development Placement scheme enables teachers in schools and further education colleges to undertake short placements in business; the Centre for Excellence in Leadership in co-operation with the Association of Colleges runs a work shadowing programme open to colleges and training providers involving exchanges of managers; and the Higher Education Funding Council supports a range of activities, often in partnership with the DTI, to make university staff more aware of business needs, including Business Fellowships.
	There are regular discussions with DTI and Treasury on promoting links between education and business. The Government's approach to promoting such links draws on a number of consultations with business including, for example, through Howard Davies' review of enterprise education in 2002

Information and Communication Technologies

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 27 April 2004, Official Report, column 975W, on information and communication technologies, if he will place in the Library the independent research to which he refers.

Charles Clarke: I have today placed in the Library copies of the lmpaCT2 Pupil Attainment report.

Key Workers

John Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills for what reasons further education lecturers are not permitted to apply for higher equity loans under the Key Worker Living housing programmes announced in March.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 4 May 2004
	FE teachers, like school teachers and other key workers, in London and other high housing cost areas in the South East and East regions, are eligible for equity loans of up to £50,000 under the Key Worker Living initiative announced by the Deputy Prime Minister on 23 March. This is the first time FE teachers have been eligible for such support.
	In addition, as part of the London Challenge, there is a specific scheme in London to retain school teachers who have the potential to be future leaders of the education service in London. This was developed in the light of evidence that, although London is very attractive to young school teachers, many leave London when they want to settle down and start a family. This is just the moment when they are beginning to take on crucial middle leadership roles in schools. The London Challenge Key Teacher Homebuy Scheme therefore offers school teachers in London equity loans of up to £100,000 to enable them to afford family homes.

Learning and Skills Council

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the transfer of the learning and skills councils to the proposed regional assemblies.

Alan Johnson: In our White Paper "Your Region, Your Choice" we set out proposals for each assembly to appoint two members to the Board of each local Learning and Skills Council (LSC) in its region, and for the national LSC to consult assemblies on its guidance to the local LSCs. We also propose that local LSCs will be required to have regard to assembly strategies, including in drawing up their spending plans; and to consult the relevant assembly about their local plans.

Learning and Skills Council

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on achievement levels of (a) young people and (b) adults in relation to basic skills in the North London Learning and Skills Council area.

Ivan Lewis: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The Local LSC will write to the hon. Gentleman with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

Learning Disabilities

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many local education authorities have provided parent partnership services for families of children with special educational needs; what proportion of families have been provided with the service; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: Every local education authority is required under Section 332A of the Education Act 1996 to make arrangements for parent partnership services. Arrangements vary, with some authorities providing the service themselves, while others buy in the service from another provider such as a voluntary organisation or another local authority. Information on the proportion of families that have used the service is not collected centrally.

Learning Disabilities

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools have increased accessibility to children with learning disabilities through the School Access Initiative; what funding will be provided for the initiative over the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The Schools Access Initiative is designed to increase the accessibility of mainstream schools for pupils with disabilities. Over £274 million has been made available since the scheme began in 1996. A further £100 million will be made available each year for 2004–05 and 2005–06. Funding for the scheme beyond 2005–06 is subject to decisions relating to the outcome of the 2004 Spending Review.
	It is for local education authorities to decide which of the capital projects proposed by their schools should be supported in the light of local needs and circumstances detailed in their Accessibility Strategy. They are not required to provide us with information detailing how they have spent their allocation of the School Access Initiative to increase access to pupils with specific disabilities. It is therefore not possible to say how many schools have increased their accessibility for children with learning disabilities.

Medical Courses/Schools

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many places were available for (a) UK nationals and (b) fee paying students from overseas to study medicine in each of the last five financial years; and how many places are available in 2004, broken down by academic institution.

Alan Johnson: The available figures from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) are given in tables 1 and 2. Data are given for English medical schools only. Allocation of places for Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish medical schools is the responsibility of the devolved administrations.
	Target figures for overseas students have remained constant during this period and are given separately in table 2.
	Figures for UK nationals only are not available.
	
		Table 1: Total places available to study medicine in England by Institution
		
			  Target(17) 
			 University 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 20042 
		
		
			 Birmingham 232 332 332 332 372 372 
			 Brighton/Sussex — — 0 0 128 128 
			 Bristol 169 169 169 230 249 249 
			 Cambridge 276 276 296 296 296 296 
			 East Anglia — 0 0 110 110 130 
			 Hull/York — — 0 0 130 130 
			 Leeds 218 218 258 298 258 258 
			 Leicester Warwick 190 239 303 303 403 403 
			 Liverpool 218 218 268 268 308 308 
			 Manchester/Keele 261 311 341 341 396 396 
			 Newcastle/Durham 201 220 290 340 340 340 
			 Nottingham 194 202 218 234 324 324 
			 Oxford 113 113 160 170 180 180 
			 Peninsula — 0 0 127 167 167 
			 Sheffield 218 223 238 238 238 238 
			 Southampton 171 200 200 200 200 240 
			 Imperial 311 326 326 326 326 326 
			 King's College 360 360 370 380 390 400 
			 QMW 241 247 253 253 305 305 
			 St. George's 187 222 222 257 257 257 
			 UCL 330 330 330 330 330 330 
			 England total 3,890 4,200 4,574 5,033 5,707 5,777 
		
	
	(17) Target figures include all UK, EEA and non-EEA domiciles.
	Source:
	HEFCE
	
		Table 2: Overseas places available to study medicine in England by Institution
		
			 Institution Overseas target 
		
		
			 Birmingham 16 
			 Brighton/Sussex 0 
			 Bristol 12 
			 Cambridge 19 
			 East Anglia 0 
			 Hull/York 0 
			 Leeds/Bradford 15 
			 Leicester/Warwick 13 
			 Liverpool 15 
			 Manchester/Keele 18 
			 Newcastle/Durham 14 
			 Nottingham 13 
			 Oxford 8 
			 Peninsula 0 
			 Sheffield 15 
			 Southampton 12 
			 Imperial 21 
			 Kings 26 
			 QMW 17 
			 St. George's 13 
			 UCL 25 
			 Total 272 
		
	
	Source:
	HEFCE

Medical Courses/Schools

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent representations he has received on access to medical degree courses.

Alan Johnson: I have discussions from time to time with various groups on such matters, including the British Medical Association (BMA) Medical Students Committee and the Brightside Trust.

Medical Courses/Schools

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the intake into medical schools was in (a) England and Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Northern Ireland in each year since 1997.

Alan Johnson: The latest available figures for medical schools in England are shown in the table.
	Information for Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish medical schools is the responsibility of the devolved administrations.
	
		Actual intakes of medical schools: England
		
			 Year of entry Intake 
		
		
			 1997 3,749 
			 1998 3,735 
			 1999 3,972 
			 2000 4,300 
			 2001 4,713 
			 2002 5,277 
			 2003(18) 6,030 
		
	
	(18) Provisional
	Source:
	Higher Education Funding Council for England

Medical Courses/Schools

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many applications were made in the last academic year by students wishing to train as a medical practitioner from (a) the UK, (b) other countries in the European Union and (c) outside the European Union.

Alan Johnson: The available information is taken from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) and covers the number of applicants to full time undergraduate pre-clinical medicine courses. Figures are given in the table.
	
		Applicants(19) through UCAS to pre-clinical medicine, 2003 entry
		
			 Domicile Number 
		
		
			 Home 12,728 
			 EU 942 
			 Other Overseas 2,220 
			 Total 15,890 
		
	
	(19) Includes any student who made at least one application for medicine.
	Source:
	Universities and Colleges Admissions Service.

Medical Courses/Schools

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the universities, colleges and medical schools which provide places for the training of medical practitioners.

Alan Johnson: The institutions in England which offer undergraduate courses of medicine are listed as follows. Information for Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish medical schools is the responsibility of the devolved administrations.
	University Medical Schools and Colleges:
	Birmingham
	Brighton/Sussex1
	Bristol
	Cambridge
	East Anglia
	Hull/York 2
	Leeds
	Leicester Warwick3
	Liverpool
	Manchester/Keele 4
	Newcastle/Durham 5
	Nottingham
	Oxford
	Peninsula 6
	Sheffield
	Southampton
	Imperial
	Kings College
	Queen Mary and Westfield
	St. Georges Hospital Medical School
	University College London
	1  A joint partnership by the University of Brighton and the University of Sussex, taught at the University of Brighton.
	2  A joint partnership by the University of Hull and the University of York, taught at both institutions.
	3  Those with a degree in Biological Sciences can study at the University of Warwick for the 4 year graduate medicine program from the University of Leicester.
	4  The University of Manchester medicine course can be studied at the University of Keele. The University of Keele is developing it's own curriculum, expected for 2007 entry.
	5  Option to study the first two years of the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne medicine programme at the University of Durham.
	6  A joint partnership by the University of Exeter and the University of Plymouth, taught at both institutions.

Medical Courses/Schools

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many places for the training of medical practitioners at each university, college and medical school were available in 1997; and how many will be available this September.

Alan Johnson: The information is shown in the table. Information for Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish medical schools is the responsibility of the devolved administrations.
	
		Medical school intake targets: England
		
			 University medical school 1997 2004 
		
		
			 Birmingham 213 372 
			 Brighton/Sussex(20) — 128 
			 Bristol 155 249 
			 Cambridge 254 296 
			 East Anglia(20) — 130 
			 Hull/York(20) — 130 
			 Leeds 200 258 
			 Leicester Warwick 175 403 
			 Liverpool 200 308 
			 Manchester/Keele 240 396 
			 Newcastle/Durham 185 340 
			 Nottingham 178 324 
			 Oxford 104 180 
			 Peninsula(20) — 167 
			 Sheffield 200 238 
			 Southampton 157 240 
			 Charing Cross(21) 174 — 
			 Imperial 112 326 
			 Kings College 118 400 
			 Royal Free(21) 110 — 
			 Queen Mary and Westfield 202 305 
			 St. George's 172 257 
			 University College London 220 330 
			 United Medical and Dental School(21) 225 — 
			 Total England 3,594 5,777 
		
	
	(20) Brighton/Sussex and Hull/York were set up in 2003, East Anglia and Peninsula in 2002.
	(21) Charing Cross merged with Imperial College: Royal Free merged with University College; United Medical and Dental Schools merged with Kings.
	Source:
	Higher Education Funding Council for England.

Medical Courses/Schools

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students who entered medical training in the current academic year were from (a) the UK, (b) other countries in the European Union and (c) outside the European Union; and what the corresponding figures were for each of the past 10 years for which figures are available.

Alan Johnson: The available information for England is shown in the table. Information for Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish medical schools is the responsibility of the devolved Administrations.
	
		Intake of medical students in English higher education institutions, by domicile and fee-paying status
		
			 Academic year Total intake Estimate of students from the UK(22) Estimate of students from other countries in the European Union(23) Estimate of students from countries outside the European Union(24) 
		
		
			 2003–04(25) 6,030 5,507 105 418 
			 2002–03 5,277 4,835 88 354 
			 2001–02 4,713 4,315 84 314 
			 2000–01 4,300 3,923 82 295 
			 1999–2000 3,972 3,640 77 255 
			 1998–99 3,735 3,378 71 286 
			 1997–98 3,749 3,431 39 279 
			 1996–97 3,594 3,271 53 270 
			 1995–96 3,486 3,187 38 261 
			 1994–95 3,514 3,231 33 250 
			 1993–94 3,374 3,125 34 215 
		
	
	(22) These are UK domiciled students with home and overseas fee-paying status.
	(23) Tese are overseas domiciled students with home fee-paying status.
	(24) These are overseas domiciled students with overseas fee-paying status.
	(25) The intake for year 2003–04 is a provisional figure based on institutions' estimates in October 2003.
	Note:
	All student numbers relate to a headcount.
	Source:
	HEFCE Medical and Dental Survey.

Medical Courses/Schools

Kevin Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many new undergraduates were admitted to each medical school in 2003–04.

Alan Johnson: The latest available figures are shown in the table. Information for Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish medical schools is the responsibility of the devolved administrations.
	
		Actual intakes of medical schools 2003: England
		
			 University medical school Intake 
		
		
			 Birmingham 428 
			 Brighton/Sussex 135 
			 Bristol 272 
			 Cambridge 299 
			 East Anglia 110 
			 Hull/York 130 
			 Leeds 279 
			 Leicester Warwick 448 
			 Liverpool 318 
			 Manchester/Keele 425 
			 Newcastle/Durham 355 
			 Nottingham 353 
			 Oxford 182 
			 Peninsula 176 
			 Sheffield 263 
			 Southampton 221 
			 Imperial 334 
			 Kings College 401 
			 Queen Mary and Westfield 309 
			 St. Georges 251 
			 University College London 341 
			 Total England 6,030 
		
	
	Source:
	Higher Education Funding Council for England.

Medical Courses/Schools

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students (a) entered and (b) graduated from medical schools in England in each year since 1997; and how many graduates from medical schools in England in each year since 1997 have commenced full-time employment in the NHS.

Alan Johnson: The latest intake and output data for medical schools are shown in the first table. There is no precise data on how many students either do not complete undergraduate medical degree courses or do not join the NHS medical workforce after graduating. However, these figures do not include overseas students who return home immediately upon graduating based on figures from the annual NHS workforce survey as shown in the second table, the Department of Health believe that virtually all graduates from English medical schools take up posts as Pre-Registration House Officers (PRHOs) in the NHS within 18 months of graduating apart from those overseas students who return home immediately upon graduating.
	
		Actual Intake and Output of Medical Schools in England 1997–98 to 2002–03
		
			 Academic year Intake Graduate output 
		
		
			 1997–98 3,749 3,261 
			 1998–99 3,735 3,097 
			 1999–2000 3,972 3,373 
			 2000–01 4,300 3,286 
			 2001–02 4,713 3,280 
			 2002–03 5,277 3,522 
			 2003–04 (26)6,030 (27)— 
		
	
	(26) Provisional until November 2004 when a finalised figure will be declared.
	(27) Not available until November 2004.
	Source:
	Higher Education Funding Council for England
	
		UK Qualified Pre-Registration House Officers in England 1997–2003
		
			  Number of House Officers 
		
		
			 1997 3,028 
			 1998 3,173 
			 1999 3,122 
			 2000 3,297 
			 2001 3,176 
			 2002 3,205 
			 2003 3,344 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health medical and dental workforce survey

Medical Courses/Schools

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average cost is of the education of a medical student up to registration with the General Medical Council; and what the expected average cost is of educating a medical student who commences on a clinical sciences foundation year up to registration with the General Medical Council.

Alan Johnson: The cost of training a doctor from entry to medical school to full registration with the General Medical Council is estimated to be of the order of £200,000 to £250,000, including the year as a Pre-Registration House Officer (PRHO). This is a considerable investment in medical training from public funds. Some students commence their medical training with a foundation year, for which the Higher Education Funding Council for England provides funding to the institution of £5,922.

Modern Universities

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills to which universities he was referring in his statement to the House on 8 January when he made reference to modern universities which have strong records in recruiting students from poorer backgrounds.

Alan Johnson: The Secretary of State was not referring to specific universities but making a general point. The following table, taken from data published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England, shows the 11 universities with the highest proportion of entrants from the three lowest social classes.
	
		Proportion of young full-time first degree entrants from social classes IIIN, IV, V1 2001–02
		
			  Proportion 
		
		
			 University of Wolverhampton 45 
			 University of East London 42 
			 University of North London 42 
			 London Guildhall University 41 
			 University of Luton 41 
			 University of Westminster 40 
			 University of Sunderland 39 
			 University of Central England 39 
			 Coventry University 39 
			 Middlesex University 38 
			 University of Teesside 38 
		
	
	(28) Skilled manual, semi-skilled and unskilled.
	Source:
	Performance Indicators in Higher Education in the UK Table T1A, published by HEFCE.

National Childcare Strategy

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the number of children in Oldham, West and Royton who have gained from the National Childcare Strategy;
	(2)  how many child care places have been created in Oldham, West and Royton since 1997.

Margaret Hodge: The Department is unable to provide details of child care places for Oldham, West and Royton. However, from April 1999 to March 2004 Oldham local authority created 5,489 new child care places helping some 9,979 children. This shows an increase in the stock of child care places, taking into account turnover, of 4,114 helping some 7,551 children.

New Deal for Schools

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how much funding each school in the Huntingdon constituency received from the New Deal for Schools;
	(2)  how much money has been invested in the Huntingdon constituency since 1997 to build long-term sustainable facilities for school sports.

David Miliband: Table A shows the schools in the Huntingdon constituency that benefited from investment through the New Deal for Schools (NDS) programme, which ran between 1997–98 and 2000–01.
	Since 2001, the majority of capital support has been allocated to schools and local education authorities by formula, and they decide how to invest it in line with their asset management plans. The Department does not, therefore, have complete information about capital investment at constituency level; this should be held locally. Table B sets out the capital support provided by the Department to Cambridgeshire Local Education Authority and its schools since 1997–98, in total and by programme (including all allocations through NDS mentioned in table A).
	
		Table A: NDS allocations to schools in the Huntingdon constituency
		
			 Year School Project Package Grant (£) 
		
		
			 NDS1 1997–98 Longsands College Extensive repair and refurbishment work to roof, gas and electrical supplies, damaged floor surfaces and toilets LEA wide grant 1,065,000 
			 NDS2 1998–99 Ernulf Community School Replacement of unsafe and defective lighting fittings in science block and other lower school buildings — 45,600 
			  Priory Park Infant School Electrical work — 34,200 
			  Middlefield Primary School Replacement of 3 condemned mobiles — 192,110 
			 NDS3 1999–2000 Thorndown Community Infant School Asbestos Removal Project including 8 schools 185,516 
			  Thongsley Infant School Replacement of mobiles Project including 14 schools 2,181,348 
			  Thorndown Junior School Asbestos Removal Project including 8 schools 185,516 
			  Wheatfields Infant School Asbestos Removal Project including 8 schools 185,516 
			  St. Ivo School Asbestos Removal Project including 8 schools 185,516 
			 NDS4 2000–01 Spring Common School Replacement of Mobiles — 225,605 
			  Hinchingbrooke School 4 Science Laboratories — 255,103 
			  Barnabas Oley CofE Primary School Provision of School Hall — 239,702 
			  Hemingford Grey Primary School Asbestos Removal Project including 17 schools 229,153 
			  Offord Primary School Replacement of Temporaries- Project including 27 schools 734,693 
			  Huntingdon Infant School Replacement of Temporaries- Project including 27 schools 734,693 
			  Thorndown Community Infant School Asbestos Removal Project including 17 schools 229,153 
			  Eastfield Infant and Nursery School Replacement of Temporaries Project including 13 schools 1,542,906 
			  Eastfield Infant and Nursery School Replacement of Temporaries- Project including 27 schools 734,693 
			  Thorndown Junior School Asbestos Removal Project including 17 schools 229,153 
			  Little Paxton Primary School Asbestos Removal Project including 17 schools 229,153 
			  Wheatfields Infant School Asbestos Removal Project including 17 schools 229,153 
			  Alconbury CofE Primary School Replacement of Temporaries Project including 13 schools 1,542,906 
			  Holywell CofE Primary School Asbestos Removal Project including 17 schools 229,153 
			  Eynesbury CofE C Primary School Replacement of Temporaries- Project including 27 schools 734,693 
			  Wheatfields Junior School Asbestos Removal Project including 17 schools 229,153 
			  Crosshall Infant and Junior Schools Replacement of Temporaries Project including 13 schools 1,542,906 
			  Crosshall Infant and Junior Schools Replacement of Temporaries- Project including 27 schools 734,693 
		
	
	Note:
	1. For NDS 1, the grant of 1,065,000 was allocated for Cambridgeshire local education authority as a whole, part of which was used for capital investment at the school mentioned in the Huntingdon constituency. The LEA will be able to say how much was allocated to the school.
	2. Where the project includes a package for a number of schools, each school received a share of the funding available.
	
		Table B: Capital allocations—Oldham education authority -- £000
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Assistance with Asset Management Plans — — 72 — — — — 
			 Voluntary Aided formulaic allocations — — — — 29 63 11 
			 Basic Need 6,985 7,220 6,608 8,693 11,229 10,393 16,261 
			 Class Size initiative — 543 777 500
			 Condition — — — — 2,665 3,917 4,994 
			 Devolved Formula — — — 3,663 3,022 4,561 7,047 
			 Energy — 108 — — — — — 
			 Modernisation — — — — — 1,928 3,378 
			 NDS 1 598 — — — — — — 
			 NDS 2 — 1,978 — — — — — 
			 NDS 3 — — 2,367 — — — — 
			 NDS 4 — — — 5,859 — — — 
			 Outside Toilets — 98 — — — — — 
			 School Labs — — — 174 174 — — 
			 School Security 157 149 170 171 121 104  
			 Schools Access Initiative 45 105 150 280 452 701 970 
			 Secondary Learning Support Units — — — 85 92 116 — 
			 Seed Challenge — — — 287 327 579 582 
			 Specialist Schools — — — — 300 200  
			 Staff Workspace — — — — — 108 239 
			 Supplementary Credit Approvals 1,100 118 464 1,761 — 75 — 
			 Supplementary NDS for VA Schools — — — 307 — — — 
			 Targeted Capital Funding — — — — 904 813 5,000 
			 Teaching Environments for the Future — — — — — — 460 
			 Voluntary Aided School Grant 216 667 774 375 180 404 — 
			 Total 9,146 10,986 11,382 22,250 19,590 24,062 39,142 
		
	
	To date we have allocated £44.6 million capital funding for 2004–05 and 2005–06.

Overseas Students

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement about the number of overseas students attending UK universities following the recent report published by the British Council, Vision 2020: Forecasting International Student Mobility—A UK Perspective.

Alan Johnson: This is an important and valuable report. We have every intention of remaining one of the most popular destinations for overseas students. That is why we launched the Prime Minister's Initiative in 1999 to recruit an additional 50,000 international higher education students by 2005. UK Higher Education institutions have already exceeded that target by recruiting an additional 64,635 international students. We remain confident that overseas students will continue to choose to come here to take advantage of the high quality higher education which is on offer.

Positive Activities for Young People

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement about the Positive Activities for Young People Initiative.

Ivan Lewis: The Department for Education and Skills and New Opportunities Fund have joined forces with the Youth Justice Board, Home Office and Department for Culture Media and Sport to combine existing holiday activity schemes and deliver a Positive Activities for Young People (PAYP) programme. It is designed to divert and develop those young people aged 8–19 most at risk of social exclusion and committing crime and to steer their energy in a positive direction. It is being delivered across England from May 2003 to March 2006. £25 million funding for activities is available for the first year of the three year programme. A further £13.75 million is provided, annually, by the Connexions Service to fund Keyworkers throughout England.
	Provision takes place in all of the school holiday periods. Easter activities have already taken place but it is too early to measure it's success. In addition to activities one to one support is available for the most at risk young people.
	The programme comprises of quality arts, sports and cultural activities and encourages young people to continue in these activities after the programme ends. It aims to bring together young people from different geographical and ethnic minority communities to help break down prejudices and misunderstanding.
	Evaluation is scheduled to take place across the three year period but feedback indicates that at least 75,000 young people participated during summer 2003 and a further 40,000 in October half term in line with planned delivery targets.

Pre-school Education (Wigan)

Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) free nursery and (b) pre-school places were available for (i) three and (ii)   four year olds in Wigan in each of the last seven years.

Margaret Hodge: The information is not available in the form requested. Figures on the number of free nursery education places taken up by three and four year olds in Wigan local education authority area are shown in the table.
	The latest figures on provision for three and four year olds in England were published in a 'Statistical Bulletin Provision for children under five years of age in England—January 2003' which is available on the Department's website www.dfes. gov.uk/rsgateway/.
	From April 2004, six months ahead of our original target, all three year olds in England whose parents want one, will be eligible for a free, part-time early education place.

Psychology Postgraduates

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many education psychology training places have been available for postgraduate study in each year since 1997.

Alan Johnson: The information is not held centrally.

Quality Protects

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the original target number was for families to be included in the Quality Protects Programme; how many families have been included in the programme; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: Specific information on the number of families who benefited from the Quality Protects Programme was not collected centrally.

School Funding

Tim Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much school funding (a) in 2003–04 was and (b) is planned for 2004–05 will beprovided from (i) central Government and (ii) council tax revenue, broken down by local education authority.

David Miliband: The Government does not fund local education authorities for school funding separately. Rather, they receive an amount of revenue support grant which provides revenue support for all their services. The amount of council tax revenue is a matter for local education authorities to decide.

School Nurses

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school nurses were employed in (a) 2003, (b) 2002, (c) 2001, (d) 2000, (e) 1999, (f) 1998 and (g) 1997.

David Miliband: The number of nurses working in schools is not identified separately. The following table shows the full-time equivalent number of medical staff employed in maintained nursery and primary, secondary, PRUs and all special schools in each January between 1997 and 2003.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 1,190 
			 1998 1,220 
			 1999 1,190 
			 2000 1,180 
			 2001 1,200 
			 2002 1,780 
			 2003 1,750 
		
	
	Source:
	Annual School Census.
	Numbers include matrons, nurses and other medical staff.
	The increase in numbers between 2001 and 2002 may reflect the change in data collection methods between these two years.

Sex Education

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of whether there is a correlation between teenage sex education (a) advice programmes and (b) clinics and the prevalence of (i) sexually transmitted diseases and (ii) teenage pregnancy rates; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: Increasing rates of sexually transmitted infections and high levels of teenage pregnancy have complex underlying causes. The best international research evidence supports the multifaceted approach being taken by our Teenage Pregnancy and Sexual Health and HIV Strategies.
	Increasing and improving access to contraception and sexual health advice services is one essential part. We are also helping young people to resist pressure to have sex, improving sex and relationship education to increase their knowledge and skills, promoting condom use for those who are sexually active and supporting parents to talk to their children about sex and relationships without embarrassment.
	The number of family planning sessions aimed at young people has increased to tackle high levels of teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. In turn, increased provision will have created greater opportunities for raising awareness of sexually transmitted infections, increased screening and testing and identification of previously undiagnosed infections.
	Since 1998, the baseline year for the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy, there has been a 9.4 per cent. reduction in the under 18 conception rate with 80 per cent. of local authorities seeing declining rates.

Special Educational Needs

Tim Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average age for identification of special needs has been in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) local education authority and (b) ethnic group.

Margaret Hodge: The information requested is not collected centrally.
	A table has been placed in the House of Commons Library giving the most relevant information. This shows the age group of children for whom statements were made for the first time.

Specialist Speech and Language Support

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what assessment has been made of the need for children with severe speech difficulties to have access to specialist speech and language support within mainstream schools;
	(2)  what guidelines exist for the minimum level of specialist speech and language teaching support to be provided by each local education authority.

Margaret Hodge: Speech and language needs and the necessary the collaboration between education and health to meet those needs were considered in a research report published in November 2000, "Provision for children with speech and language needs in England and Wales: facilitating communication between education and heath services" (Department for Education and Employment Research Report RR239). This was published alongside the report of the Working Group on Speech and Language Therapy Services to Children with Special Educational Needs (England).
	Local education authorities, maintained schools, early years settings and others have to have regard to the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice published in November 2001. This gives practical advice on carrying out their statutory duties to identify, assess and make suitable provision for children with SEN. The Code includes a section on speech and language therapy support.
	No guidance has been issued in relation to the minimum level of specialist speech and language teaching support, since provision should reflect the assessed needs of individual children, some of whom may have severe or complex needs or multiple disabilities. The DfES and Department of Health have however established an Action Forum to improve provision for children with speech, language and communication needs in mainstream schools or other settings. This group brings together key interests with a view to identifying and promoting good practice.

Staff Disciplinary Cases

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether he has reviewed the handling of serious staff disciplinary cases in colleges following the publication and distribution of the Newby Report, Review of complaints against St. Austell College.

David Miliband: Further Education institutions are independent corporate bodies and are therefore responsible for their own employment policies. The Government does however expect colleges to have robust and defensible policies and practices in place. In July 1996, at the request of the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, the Further Education Funding Council (FEFC) commissioned Professor Howard Newby to review the actions of and disciplinary and grievance procedures used by St. Austell College whilst conducting a staff disciplinary case. In his review Professor Newby concluded that serious errors had been made by the College, The FEFC published the review in June 1998 to advise and inform other Further Education institutions in reviewing their procedures.

Student Finance

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will estimate for each English university the net benefit from tuition fees if (a) the maximum fee is charged to all students, (b) the maximum fee is charged to 50 per cent. of students and (c) the maximum fee is charged to 25 per cent. of students.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 21 April 2004
	Information on the additional income from fees in different scenarios is contained in the Regulatory Impact Assessment published on 8 January alongside the HE Bill. Because of the nature of a variable scheme, the additional net income from fees will vary not only according to the number of students an institution recruits, but also depending on decisions the higher education institutions themselves take on the level of fee and the cost of any measures, such as bursaries for students from lower income backgrounds, that they put in place to safeguard access. Figures for extra fee income cannot therefore be estimated precisely. Copies of the Regulatory Impact Assessment were placed in the Library of the House; it is also available on the Department for Education and Skills website.

Sure Start/Early Excellence Centres

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) Sure Start centres and (b) early excellence centres have been created in Birkenhead.

Margaret Hodge: There are three Sure Start local programmes in Birkenhead-Birkenhead North, Birkenhead Central and Ferries. Five neighbourhood nurseries are being developed in Birkenhead. Of these, four are open and offering 175 Places. Two of these are linked to the Birkenhead North and Ferries programmes and are operating from temporary accommodation while the main building is completed. The fifth is due to open in the next few weeks. There are no Early Excellence Centres in Birkenhead.

Sure Start/Early Excellence Centres

Joe Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many (a) Sure Start centres and (b) Early Excellence centres have been created in Bootle;
	(2)  how many new nurseries have been established in Bootle since 1997.

Margaret Hodge: There are two Sure Start local programmes in Bootle constituency; Litherland Bootle and Orrell and Seaforth and Bootle. Seaforth and Bottle local programme have built a Sure Start centre in Seaforth. Litherland Bootle and Orrell have not yet created any new buildings. Sefton local authority have submitted their strategic plans for Children Centres and these two Programmes are included in these plans.
	No Early Excellence Centres have been created in Bootle.
	Sefton local authority are responsible for determining local need for nursery places in Bootle they maintain information on current provision. Under the Neighbourhood Nursery Scheme three nurseries were opened in Bootle constituency providing a total of 110 places. A further two nurseries are to be opened in June providing another 115 places.

Sure Start/Early Excellence Centres

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many (a) Sure Start centres and (b) Early Excellence centres have been created in Burnley;
	(2)  how many new nurseries have been established in Burnley since 1997.

Margaret Hodge: No early excellence centres have been created in Burnley since 1997. There are three Sure Start Local Programmes in Burnley. The first Local programme Burnley (Daneshouse and Stoneyholme) was approved in August 2000 and has spent all of their capital funding of 1,548,000, The other two Local Programmes Duke Bar and Burnley Wood and South West Burnley were approved by the Sure Start Unit with indicative capital funding of 1,000,000 for each of the programme. Duke Bar and Burnley Wood and South West Burnley have not yet submitted their capital plan for this money. This money will support the development of new nurseries places in Burnley.
	Lancashire local authority is responsible for determining the local need for nursery in Burnley. They collect information on current provision. Under the Neighbourhood Nurseries scheme 97 new nursery places have been opened in Burnley.
	Lancashire county council is currently developing plans to implement Children's Centres in the 20 per cent. most disadvantaged wards, Burnley will be included in these plans.

Sure Start/Early Excellence Centres

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many (a) Sure Start Centres and (b) Early Excellence Centres have been created in Preston;
	(2)  how many new nurseries have been established in Preston since 1997.

Margaret Hodge: No Sure Start Centres have yet been completed in Preston. There are five Sure Start local programmes in Preston. Sure Start Ribbleton has commenced work on a Sure Start Centre which is due to be completed in December 2004. Sure Start Preston West is building a Sure Start Centre as an extension to a nursery school which will be completed in August 2004. The other three programmes have yet to submit plans for the use of the majority of their capital funding.
	One Early Excellence Centre has been created in Preston, based at Stoneygate Nursery School.
	Lancashire county council is responsible for determining local need for nursery places in Preston and maintaining information on current provision. Under the Neighbourhood Nurseries scheme 198 new nursery places have been created in Preston in six nurseries.
	Lancashire county council is currently developing plans to implement Children's Centres in the 20 per cent. most disadvantaged wards, Preston will be included in these plans.

Teacher Recruitment/Vacancies

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on progress with the recruitment of teachers; and how many new teachers have been appointed as a direct result of his Department's initiatives.

David Miliband: Although difficulties persist in some individual schools and areas, the overall teacher supply position is continuing to improve. Recruitment to courses of initial teacher training in England fell for eight years in a row from 1992/93, but has risen for four successive years since the introduction of training bursaries and Golden Hellos in September 2000. This is having an impact on the numbers of teachers in schools. National Statistics published by my Department on 29 April showed that there were 427,800 full-time equivalent regular teachers working in maintained schools in England in January 2004. That is 28,600 more than in 1997 and more than at any time since 1981. The teacher vacancy rate is now 0.7 per cent., down from 0.9 per cent. the previous year. There were 2,670 full-time teacher vacancies in January 2004, compared to 3,410 in January 2003.

Teacher Recruitment/Vacancies

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teacher vacancies there were in Oldham, West and Royton on the latest date for which figures are available; and what steps he is taking to reduce them.

David Miliband: Information on teacher vacancies is not available by constituency as it is collected at local education authority level. In January 2003, the latest information available, there were 19 full-time teacher vacancies in Oldham local education authority.
	Like other areas, since 1997 Oldham, West and Royton has benefited from the initiatives that the Government have put in place to recruit and retain teachers and to increase the number of staff supporting them in schools. Since 1997, the number of full-time equivalent regular teachers in maintained schools in Oldham LEA has risen from 2,240 to 2,250 in 2003. Over the same period, the number of full-time equivalent school support staff in the area has grown by 520 from 720 to 1,240 in 2003.

Teacher Recruitment/Vacancies

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teaching assistants there were in schools in Oldham, West and Royton (a) in each of the last seven years and (b) on the latest date for which figures are available.

David Miliband: The following table gives the full time equivalent number of teaching assistants employed in maintained schools in Oldham, West and Royton constituency in each January between 1997 and 2003, the latest year for which data are available.
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997 200 
			 1998 210 
			 1999 230 
			 2000 250 
			 2001 290 
			 2002 310 
			 2003 350 
		
	
	Source:
	Annual School Census.

Unexplained Infant Deaths

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many civil cases relating to unexplained infant deaths have been reviewed since the statement on 20 January 2004, Official Report, column 1215; what the outcome was of each; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: I refer the hon. Member to the statement that I made on 23 February 2004, Official Report, column 37, and the answer given in the other place by my right hon. Friend Baroness Ashton of Upholland on 30 March 2004, Official Report, column WA153.

University Fees (EU Enlargement)

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the cost to United Kingdom universities of the changed fee obligations of students from the accession countries after EU enlargement.

Alan Johnson: In 2002–03 around 3,400 full-time undergraduate students in UK higher education institutions came from countries about to join the EU. Assuming that international students pay upwards of £6500 in 2004–05 in tuition fees, the likely loss of that direct fee income to higher education institutions—the difference between the "overseas" and the "home" fee rate—from those students would be at least 18 million.
	From the start of the 2004–05 academic year, higher education institutions will be eligible for funding from the HE funding councils in respect of students from the accession countries, on the same basis as other EU students and home students. The exact amount will depend on the course of study. The students themselves will generally pay a means-tested fee contribution. Higher education institutions have been aware of this change for some years and of the need to budget accordingly.

University Science Departments

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if he will list in the last five years, universities which have closed science departments, broken down by subject; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many chemistry departments have been closed in UK universities since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Johnson: Information on the closure of particular university departments is not collected by either the Department for Education and Skills or the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Higher Education Institutions are autonomous bodies and any decisions on closures of departments are made by the institutions themselves and not Government or the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).
	However, I am aware of two recent chemistry course closures; one at Kings College London and one at Queen Mary and Westfield College (University of London). These closures were largely due to lack of demand for the undergraduate Chemistry courses. Sir Gareth Robert's Review into the supply of people with Science Technology Engineering and Maths Skills made a number of recommendations concerning this issue and we are making good progress in their implementation.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Asthma

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases of occupational asthma there were in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) England in each of the last five years.

Jane Kennedy: Information on estimated numbers of new cases of occupational asthma reported in Great Britain, and in England by consultant chest physicians and occupational physicians in each of the last five years for which data are available is in the table.
	
		Occupational asthma: estimated number of cases reported by chest physicians and occupational physicians, 1998 to 2002
		
			  Great Britain England 
		
		
			 1998 808 665 
			 1999 1,128 887 
			 2000 785 688 
			 2001 649 524 
			 2002(29) 670 596 
		
	
	(29)   Provisional data
	Source:
	The Health and Occupation Reporting (THOR) network.
	Cases of occupational asthma may not be seen by consultant physicians and may go undiagnosed. It has been estimated that the actual number of new cases may be around 5,500 per year.
	Information regarding Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Office.

Chemical Plants

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average length of time was for the Health and Safety Executive to produce reports on leaks at chemical sites in 2003; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Pond: HSE only prepares publicly available reports on the most serious incidents (including significant leaks) at chemical sites. The length of time for their publication is dependent on the nature and complexity of the incident and the action that was taken. If there were a prosecution, a report would not be published until that had concluded.

Chemical Plants

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many gas leak incidents have occurred at chemical plants in the UK in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The number of releases from chemical plants in Great Britain reported to the Health and Safety Executive under RIDDOR 1 since 1996–97 is as follows:
	1 Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations
	
		
			  1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04(30) 
		
		
			 Pipeline defect 12 15 7 6 10 12 4 7 
			 Release of flammable substance 58 63 55 45 33 3.1 26 36 
			 Release of other substance 112 91 84 80 62 74 57 48 
			 Totals 182 169 146 131 105 117 87 91 
		
	
	(30)   (provisional only)
	Note:
	Information is not readily available prior to 1996–97 and the statistics include all reported chemical releases.

Child Support Agency (Solihull)

John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will cause enquiries to be made into the conduct of the Child Support Agency case of Mary Ahern of Haslucks Croft, Shirley in the Solihull constituency.

Chris Pond: holding answer 4 May 2004
	The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. John Taylor, dated 6 May 2004
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will cause enquiries to be made into the conduct of the Child Support Agency case of Mary Ahern of Haslucks Croft, Shirley in the Solihull constituency.
	As individual cases, are confidential, I will write to you separately about Mary Ahern when I respond to your letter dated 22 April 2004. This is in line with paragraph 12, part 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Civil Partnerships

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether those registering a civil partnership will be entitled to the same pension rights as married couples; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Provisions in the Civil Partnership Bill would extend state pension rights and contracted-out survivor pension rights to same-sex couples who have formed a civil partnership.
	Schedule 17 of the Bill amends state pensions legislation. These amendments would extend those state pension benefits that are equally available to husbands and wives to civil partners when the Bill comes into force. Other state pension benefits would be extended to civil partners from 2010, when the conditions of entitlement for all state pension benefits will be the same for husbands and wives.
	The Civil Partnership Bill contains a pensions enabling power (Clause 187) which would allow my Department to amend the contracting out rules in relation to survivor pensions. The intention is to use this power to require:
	contracted-out defined benefit pension schemes to take account of periods of pensionable service after commencement of the Civil Partnership Bill for the purposes of calculating survivor pensions for civil partners; and
	contracted-out defined contribution schemes to provide survivor pension for civil partners from the protected rights accrued after commencement of the Civil Partnership Bill, if the member is in a registered civil partnership at the point of retirement.

Jobcentre Plus

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the membership organisations of the Job Centre Plus Provider Liasion Group.

Jane Kennedy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from David Anderson to Mrs. Annette Brooke, dated 6 May 2004
	As Jobcentre Plus is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to reply direct to your question about the membership organisations of the Jobcentre Plus Provider Liaison Group. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
	The Jobcentre Plus Provider Liaison Group's membership includes representatives from several of our largest work-based private sector providers, together with providers in the voluntary and community sector, smaller private providers and Further Education establishments. In addition, membership includes the Association of Learning Providers (ALP), a trade body for the work-based sector who represent approximately 30 per cent. of Jobcentre Plus providers. The Group is supported by a small secretariat from Jobcentre Plus. Full membership of the Group is set out in Annex 1.
	The purpose of the Group is to provide a forum in which providers are consulted on changes to policy and operational processes. In practice this gives them the opportunity to comment upon policies from their perspective as organisations that deliver these policies. The Group enables Jobcentre Plus to obtain the views of providers from a wide background and should help ensure that our business can be delivered more effectively and efficiently.
	I hope this is helpful.
	
		Annex 1: Jobcentre plus provider group membership
		
			 Contact Provider 
		
		
			 David Bailey Action for Employment 
			 Steve Marsland Action for Employment 
			 Pat Taylor Personnel Evaluation Consultants 
			 George Allon BTCV 
			 Roger Cole Pelcombe Training 
			 Stephanie Baslington Rathbone 
			 Janet Pibworth Seetec 
			 Jim McIntosh Shaw Trust 
			 Teresa Jolly/Colin Kearney Sheffield city council 
			 George Baines Standguide 
			 Jim Gambles Standguide 
			 Martin Dunford TBG learning 
			 Dawn Marsh The Training Network Group 
			 A Townson Bournemouth and Poole College 
			 Gerard Irwin Reed Co. UK. 
			 Sian Woolson Dash Training Ltd. 
			 Diane Prosser Dash Training Ltd. 
			 Sharon Cooke Bethany Group 
			 Sarah Cooke DHP enterprises 
			 David Cameron Scottish Council for voluntary   organisations 
			 Sarah Knight Instant Muscle 
			 Paul Warner ALP 
			 Adrienne Nolan WACG LMD Skills and Int 
			 Beth Simpson DFES 
			 Peter Jordan LSC 
			 David Williams TD management Services 
			 Jill Valentine UFI

Jobcentre Plus

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the duties and responsibilities of Jobcentre Plus personal advisors are;
	(2)  what the set-up costs of Jobcentre Plus have been;
	(3)  how many (a) Jobcentre and (b) Jobcentre Plus centres there are in England.

Jane Kennedy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Jobcentre Plus, David Anderson. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from David Anderson to Mr. Charles Hendry, dated 6 May 2004
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions concerning the cost of introducing Jobcentre Plus, the numbers of offices delivering our services to the public and what the duties and responsibilities of personal advisors are. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The total cost recorded for Jobcentre Plus Implementation to the end of March 2004 is £608.9 million. Some financial adjustments still need to be made and the final figure for the year end is expected to show an increase on this amount.
	In England our delivery network comprises:
	388 Jobcentre Plus offices
	454 Jobcentres
	237 Social Security offices
	We plan to complete the rollout of the new integrated service across Great Britain by 31 March 2006.
	Jobcentre Plus is helping a wider range of customers than ever to secure employment with special focus on those customers who have to overcome particular barriers. Jobcentre Plus services are work focused for all customers, with personal advisers addressing individual customer needs.
	Personal advisers make a key contribution to realising the Jobcentre Plus vision of a welfare system for people of working age that promotes work as the best form of welfare while providing appropriate help and support for those without jobs. They also deliver the service through which Jobcentre Plus will meet many of its aims, objectives and performance targets.
	The key responsibilities for personal advisers are to:
	carry out diagnostic, work targeted interviews to help customers understand the benefits of working and agree a realistic course of action to gain or move them closer to employment;
	submit customers to appropriate vacancies;
	manage a caseload of customers;
	develop and maintain partnership working with Jobcentre Plus colleagues and employers/relevant external organisations to improve and extend the range of support for customers; and
	help to protect the integrity of the benefit system by making sure people fulfil their responsibilities and remain entitled to benefit.
	I hope this is helpful.

Jobcentres

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what degree of flexibility he will give jobcentres over their budgets (a) to improve local skills and (b) to target jobless blackspots.

Jane Kennedy: Jobcentre Plus has a wide range of employment programmes to support clients improve their employability and help them to move into work. Within the framework of national programme design, District Managers are responsible for ensuring that the provision meets the needs of their local labour market. Programme budget management processes support this local tailoring.
	Since 26 April 2004, the District Manager's Discretionary Fund (DMDF) has been made available to all District Managers and will run for two years, with lessons learned being taken forward.
	DMDF will allow greater freedom and flexibility to tackle local problems, including local skills gaps, and allow investment in local partnerships.
	In addition, since 1 April 2004 we have launched the Working Neighbourhoods pilots in 12 of the most deprived neighbourhoods in the country. The pilots include a flexible, discretionary fund for each neighbourhood to allow personal advisers in cooperation with local strategic partners to tackle the substantial and varied barriers that prevent residents in these neighbourhoods from returning to work.

New Deal for Lone Parents

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many lone parents in West Lancashire have gained work through the New Deal programme.

Jane Kennedy: 650 lone parents in West Lancashire have gained work through the New Deal for Lone Parents since the start of the programme in October 1998. Figures for lone parents who have gained work through other New Deal Programmes are not available.

New Deal for Lone Parents

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many lone parents in Oldham, West and Royton have gained work through the New Deal programme.

Jane Kennedy: 480 lone parents in Oldham, West and Royton have gained work through the New Deal for Lone Parents since the start of the programme in October 1998. Figures for lone parents who have gained work through other New Deal programmes are not available.

New Deal for Lone Parents

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many women in Oldham, West and Royton have benefited from (a) the New Deal for Lone Parents and (b) the New Deal for Partners since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: Through the New Deal we have introduced a wide range of initiatives to help individuals improve their employment prospects by giving them the skills, support and confidence they need to move into work. From 12 April we enhanced the New Deal for Partners in order to offer partners taking part in that programme the same level of help and support as our successful New Deal for Lone Parents programme. Also from this April we have started to roll out Work Focused Interviews for Partners, offering greater support to partners of benefit recipients.
	720 women have started New Deal for Lone Parents in Oldham, West and Royton since the beginning of the programme in October 1998, of whom, 460 have gained a job. Information on the number of women who have benefited from the New Deal for Partners is not available.

New Deal for Lone Parents

Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many lone parents have (a) gained work and (b) entered training or education through the New Deal for Lone Parents in Battersea.

Jane Kennedy: Since the beginning of the programme in October 1998, 400 lone parents have gained work, and 70 have participated in training or education, through the New Deal for Lone Parents in Battersea.

Part-time Employees' Pension Rights

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the Government intends to lay regulations before the House amending the Pensions Act 1995 and the Occupational Pension Schemes (Equal Treatment) Regulations to reflect the time limits of the European Court of Justice ruling in the Preston case.

Malcolm Wicks: Draft regulations were prepared and issued for consultation in July last year. They will be finalised as soon as possible but in the meantime employment tribunals are making decisions in light of the judgments of the courts about access to pension schemes.

Pension Entitlements

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps the Government are taking to calculate the cost of compensating those people who have already lost some or all of their pension entitlement; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: We are currently working with trustees to gather data about defined benefit schemes that are winding up under-funded. Using these data we will establish firm estimates of the extent of the problem and the potential scale of losses. The potential cost of any assistance would depend on these estimates and on the nature of any assistance provided.

State Pension

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost, net of savings in means-tested benefits and additional tax revenues, of paying a full basic state pension to each individual (a) regardless of contribution record and (b) on the current system of entitlement at the rate of the guarantee credit, from the age of 80 years; and if he will estimate in each case the cost in each of the following four years on the assumption that the pension was then indexed to earnings.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is not available in the format requested. However, such information as is available is in the table.
	
		£ billion
		
			  (a) Net cost of guarantee level basic state pension paid to those over 80 regardless of contribution record (b) Net cost of guarantee level basic state pension paid to those over 80 on current system of entitlement 
		
		
			 2005–06 2.4 2.0 
			 2006–07 2.6 2.1 
			 2007–08 2.8 2.2 
			 2008–09 2.9 2.4 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are for Great Britain in 2004–05 price terms, rounded to the nearest £100 million. It is assumed the change comes into effect from April 2005 and basic state pension is up-rated in line with earnings thereafter. It is assumed that part (a) would not apply to those overseas, and so for consistency, part (b) also does not include any changes to the state pensions of those who are overseas.
	2. Gross costs are estimated by the Government Actuary's Department and are consistent with Budget 2004 assumptions and use 2002-based population projections.
	3. For part (a) it is assumed that for those over 80 the basic state pension has been increased to the guarantee credit rate, any additional pension is then added to the full basic state pension.
	4. In addition, no allowances are made for couples, and individuals aged over 80 have been assumed to receive basic state pension at the single rate of the guarantee credit, including those previously receiving no basic state pension through their own contributions.
	5. For part (b) for those over 80, the maximum rate of category A basic state pension is raised to the level of the guarantee credit and those receiving less than the maximum category A basic state pension and other categories of basic state pension will receive an increased pension according to the rules of the current system.
	6. Income related benefit offsets are calculated using the DWP policy simulation model and April 2004 benefit rates. It is assumed that the savings credit is left unchanged from the existing system and the current rules apply. Consistent with previous answers it is assumed that the offset for the first year will remain constant for subsequent years.
	7. Additional income tax revenue is estimated by the Inland Revenue using 2004 tax rates. The income tax estimates for 2004–05 to 2006–07 are based on the 2001–02 Survey of Personal Incomes and are projected in line with March 2004 Budget assumptions. For illustrative purposes, it is assumed income tax revenue will be a fixed percentage of the gross cost for this option in 2007–08 and 2008–09.

State Pension

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) divorced and (b) widowed people who have made a claim for state retirement pension have yet to receive it; and how long they have been waiting in each case.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of claims to state pension from divorced and widowed customers who have yet to receive their award, as at 21 April 2004, is broken down as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 Divorced 4,349 
			 Widowed 1,083 
			 Total 5,432 
		
	
	Information on how long they have been waiting in each case can be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

StepUP Programme

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to extend the StepUP programme.

Jane Kennedy: StepUP builds on the New Deal for Young People and New Deal 25 plus by providing transitional jobs for people who have not secured sustained employment through New Deal. There are currently 20 StepUP pilots operating in selected wards across Great Britain.
	An interim report (Evaluation of StepUP:Interim Report 186/2004) was published on 16 March and is available in the Library. It is too soon to say whether StepUP will be rolled out nationally. However, a final report on the programme, which will establish its effectiveness in helping people into sustained work, work, will include recommendations on roll out.
	The report is due to be published in July 2005 and a copy of this will be placed in the Library.

Sure Start Maternity Grant

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many mothers in Burnley have taken up the Sure Start maternity grant;
	(2)  how many mothers in Burnley have received the Sure Start Maternity Grant.

Chris Pond: The information is not available in the format requested. The available information is in the table.
	
		Sure Start Maternity Grants in Greater Manchester Lancashire Social Fund District/East Lancashire Jobcentre Plus District
		
			  Applications Awards 
		
		
			 2000–01 2,936 2,405 
			 2001–02 3,746 2,998 
			 2002–03 4,637 3,452 
			 2003–04 5,297 3,539 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Data are not available by parliamentary constituency. Burnley parliamentary constituency is part of East Lancashire Jobcentre Plus District, which was previously called Greater Manchester Lancashire Social Fund District.
	2. Sure Start Maternity Grants were introduced on 27 March 2000. The very small number of cases for 1999–2000 has been excluded for data protection reasons.
	3. Data are given for all applications and awards, irrespective of whether the application was made by the mother or her partner.
	Source:
	DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.

Toilet Soaps

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to amend the current Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations and Biocidal Products Regulations for toilet soaps.

Jane Kennedy: There are no such plans. The legislation applying to toilet soaps is clear: where they are already regulated under the Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations they are excluded from the scope of the Biocidal Products Regulations.

Winter Fuel Allowance

Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many senior citizens in Wigan have benefited from the winter fuel allowance since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of senior citizens in the Wigan constituency who benefited from a winter fuel payment in each year since 1999–2000 (including provisional figures for 2003–04) is in the table. Information relating to the 1997–98 and 1998–99 winters is not available.
	
		
			  Payments made 
		
		
			 1999–2000 14,650 
			 2000–2001 16,665 
			 2001–2002 16,780 
			 2002–2003 16,820 
			 2003–2004 16,990 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.
	2. Please note that the figures for 2003–04 refer only to the main payment run i.e. they do not include the late payment run figures. We estimate that there are approximately 100,000 people in Great Britain paid via late payment runs (0.8 per cent. of all payments). However, since late payment runs are mainly in respect of non-system cases whose claim had not been received by Qualifying Week, they are heavily skewed towards men aged 60.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. samples.

Winter Fuel Allowance

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many senior citizens in Preston have benefited from the winter fuel allowance since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: The number of senior citizens in the Preston constituency who have benefited from the winter fuel payment in each year since 1999–2000 (including provisional figures for 2003–04) is in the table. Information relating to the 1997–98 and 1998–99 winters is not available.
	
		
			  Payments made 
		
		
			 1999–2000 15,375 
			 2000–01 16,830 
			 2001–02 16,735 
			 2002–03 16,570 
			 2003–04 16,425 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 5.
	2. Please note that the figures for 2003–04 refer only to the main payment run i.e. they do not include the late payment run figures. We estimate that there are approximately 100,000 people in Great Britain paid via late payment runs (0.8 per cent. of all payments). However, since late payment runs are mainly in respect of non-system cases whose claim had not been received by Qualifying Week, they are heavily skewed towards men aged 60.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. samples.

HEALTH

Drug Addicts

Michael Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of addicts in the UK using (a) class A drugs and (b) heroin in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Melanie Johnson: It is estimated that there are 250,000 Class A problem drug users in England and Wales (Home Office Research Study 2002). Problem drug users are defined as people who use illegal drugs and experience social, psychological, physical or legal problems.
	The Government is committed to tackling substance misuse and launched the updated drugs strategy in 2002. The Government is on track to meet the target in this strategy to double the number of people in treatment from 100,000 in 1998 to 200,000 by 2008 and to increase year on year the numbers retained in, or successfully completing treatment.

Drug Addicts

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people from Liverpool, Walton are receiving drug treatment.

Melanie Johnson: There were 2,191 people receiving drug treatment in Liverpool in 2000–01. This is the latest available data. Data broken down by drug action team for 2001–02 and 2002–03 have not yet been finalised and published.

Accident and Emergency Departments

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were seen at Warrington hospital accident and emergency in each of the last five years.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		First attendances at accident and emergency department
		
			   Number 
		
		
			 2002–03 North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust 84,465 
			 2001–02 North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust 84,171 
			 2000–01 Warrington Hospital NHS Trust 55,978 
			 1999–2000 Warrington Hospital NHS Trust 57,786 
			 1998–99 Warrington Hospital NHS Trust 56,796 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health.

Accident and Emergency Departments

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost is of the new accident and emergency unit at Warrington hospital; and what facilities it will provide.

Melanie Johnson: The new accident and emergency unit at Warrington hospital will cost a total of £6 million. It will include major and minor injury areas, four bed resuscitation area, a chest pain area, a seven bed coronary care unit, a paediatric area and x-ray facilities. The unit will provide a dedicated paediatric unit for the first time for residents of North Cheshire and comprehensive coronary care.
	Source:
	North Cheshire Hospitals National Health Service Trust

Alcohol

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to place health warning labels on alcoholic products; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The Government's alcohol harm reduction strategy for England, published in March 2004, recommends that the Department of Health and the Home Office consult the alcohol industry on the introduction of a voluntary social responsibility scheme. As part of this scheme, the strategy urges that the drinks industry should be encouraged to display information on sensible drinking and on the unit content of drinks.

Allergies

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether he uses the estimates of the extent of allergies in the June 2003 report by the Royal College of Physicians, "Allergy: the Unmet Need", as a basis for NHS planning; and what other evidence-based planning data he proposes to use;
	(2)  what his latest estimate is of the annual cost to the NHS of allergies; and what assessment he has made of the recent changes in the incidence of more serious systemic allergies.

Stephen Ladyman: We welcomed the Royal College of Physicians' report and believe it is a useful contribution to the debate on how to improve national health service allergy services. It is the role of primary care trusts, in partnership with local stakeholders, to decide what services to provide for their populations, including those with allergies. They are best placed to understand local health care needs and commission services to meet them.
	Information about the annual cost to the NHS of allergies is not centrally available.
	We are aware that there has been a particular increase in severe allergic disease, including anaphylaxis; severe reactions to food and drugs are now common.

Asthma

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what strategies the Department plans to put in place to deal with an increased incidence of asthma.

Stephen Ladyman: A number of initiatives are underway in the national health service in England to improve services for patients with asthma. These include:
	The national service framework (NSF) for children: asthma, as one of the most common childhood conditions, will be used as a key exemplar that will accompany the main NSF report.
	The chronic disease management programme provides arrangements for health promotion under the general practitioner contract including fixed annual payments for participating GPs, around 94 per cent. of the total, for running organised programmes of care for patients with asthma.
	The general medical services contract, launched in February 2003, includes a specific quality indicator for treatment and care of people with asthma.

Breast Screening Sites

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of breast screening sites are providing screening for women aged 65–70 years; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: As at 31 March 2004, 44 per cent., of the 81 local breast screening programmes in England had begun inviting women aged 65–70 for breast screening. All local programmes are on track to begin inviting the older women by the target date of December 2004. Since the age extension began in April 2001, over 200,000 more women have been invited for breast screening. 400,000 more women a year will be invited once the extension is fully implemented.

Cancer

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Coalition for Cancer Information was established; what its budget is; what its remit is; what its membership is; how often it has met; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The coalition for cancer information (CCI) was formed in June 2002 as a result of a recommendation from the cancer information advisory group and is chaired by Professor Mike Richards, National Cancer Director. The CCI does not hold a budget, but is supported by departmental secretariat. The CCI brings together producers and consumers of cancer information from national voluntary organisations, the National Cancer Research Institute, the national health service and the Department. It was established to oversee the development and dissemination of high quality information materials for those affected by cancer.
	Since being established, the coalition has met approximately three times a year.

Chest Pain Clinics

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many rapid access chest pain clinics there are in Burnley.

Melanie Johnson: The East Lancashire Hospitals National Health Service Trust holds rapid access chest pain clinics at Burnley General Hospital. The Trust is meeting the national service framework two week target for patients to be seen from date of referral by general practitioner.

Chest Pain Clinics

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many rapid access chest pain clinics there are in Preston.

Melanie Johnson: Lancashire Teaching Hospitals National Health Service Trust has rapid access chest pain clinics at both the Royal Preston Hospital and Chorley and South Ribble Hospital. Both clinics are meeting the national service framework two week target for patients to be seen from date of referral by general practitioner.

Cystic Fibrosis Screening

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 17 March 2004, Official Report, column 386W, on cystic fibrosis screening, if he will make a statement on the conclusions of the National Screening Committee on implementation of the Government's commitment to newborn screening for cystic fibrosis.

Stephen Ladyman: Following discussion at its meeting in March 2004 the United Kingdom National Screening Committee (NSC) has asked the UK newborn screening programme centre, a collaboration between Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, the Institute of Child Health and the Institute of Education to develop an implementation plan.
	The expectation is that, in England, with the emphasis in the current year on bringing existing provision up to high standards, this will enable a rollout within two to three years. The precise pace of the roll-out will be determined by local priorities. However the NSC will be providing advice and help on costs, feasibility and timetables and learning from the experience of other UK countries.

Dentistry

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the provision of NHS dental services in North Yorkshire.

Melanie Johnson: 49.9 per cent. of adults and 68.2 per cent. of children in North Yorkshire were registered with a National Health Service dentist at the end of February 2004. There has been very little change in these numbers over the previous 12 months. There were 248 dentists treating NHS patients in north Yorkshire at the end of 2003.

Departmental Expenditure (Entertainment)

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his latest estimate is of the amount spent by his Department on entertainment in each year from 1996–97 to 2004–05.

Rosie Winterton: Expenditure arises on hospitality and entertainment only in the context of promoting the Department's business objectives. All such expenditure is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety/based on the principles set out in "Government Accounting".
	Information for 2004–05 is not available. The total amount spent by the Department on hospitality for years since 1996–97 is shown in the table.
	
		£
		
			  Expenditure 
		
		
			 1996–97 105,192 
			 1997–98 90,883 
			 1998–99 67,953 
			 1999–2000 50,114 
			 2000–01 93,091 
			 2001–02 121,968 
			 2002–03 125,291 
			 2003–04 76,742

Direct Payments

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the original target was for the extension of direct payments; to how many people direct payments have been extended; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: In 2002–03, 9,600 people received a direct payment. The Department has not set a target for the extension of direct payments. Increasing the take up of direct payments will contribute to the annual overall assessment of a council's performance. To achieve a performance rating of 'very good', councils must have at least 150 people receiving direct payments per 100,000 population aged 18 or over. The national average for 2002–03 was 23.

Drug Treatment (Burnley)

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in Burnley are receiving drug treatment.

Melanie Johnson: Information on the number of people receiving drug treatment on a constituency basis is not gathered centrally.
	In 2000–01, there were a total of 2,874 people receiving drug treatment in the are covered by the drug action team for Lancashire. These are the latest available data. Data broken down by drug action team for 2001–02 and 2002–03 have not yet been finalised and published.
	Source:
	Department of Health Statistics

Employment-Health Link

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has (a) undertaken and (b) commissioned into the link between employment and a person's health; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: There are two recent studies; working with the Employment Service, the Department undertook a study of the health impact of the new deal for young people which was published in 2002.
	More recently the Department has, in collaboration with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, commissioned a further study on the health impact of the new deal for communities.

Erectile Dysfunction

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he issues to general practitioners on what constitutes severe distress for the purposes of the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

Melanie Johnson: Health Service Circular (HSC) 1999/177, issued on 6 August 1999 contains guidance to general practitioners on the treatment of erectile dysfunction and severe distress.

Eye Tests

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many senior citizens in Burnley have access to free eye tests;
	(2)  how many residents in Burnley aged over 60 years have benefited from the abolition of charges for eye tests.

Melanie Johnson: Data for the number of sight tests by constituency or by the number of senior citizens are not collected centrally.
	The total number of sight tests paid for by Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority in the year 2002–03 for people aged 60 and over was 189,100.
	The total number eligible for a free sight test for those aged 60 and over was 429,300. Sight tests cannot be equated to the number of patients.

Eye Tests

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many residents in Manchester, Gorton aged over 60 years have benefited from the abolition of charges for eye tests;
	(2)  how many senior citizens in Manchester, Gorton have access to free eye tests.

Melanie Johnson: Data for the number of sight tests by constituency or by the number of senior citizens is not collected centrally.
	The total number of National Health Service sight tests paid for by the Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority in 2002–03 for patients aged 60 and over was 189,900. The total number eligible for a free sight test for those aged 60 and over was 493,100. Sight tests cannot be equated to the numbers of patients.

Eye Tests

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many senior citizens in Preston have access to free eye tests;.
	(2)  how many residents in Preston aged over 60 years have benefited from the abolition of charges for eye tests.

Melanie Johnson: Data for the number of sight tests by constituency or by the number of senior citizensis not collected centrally.
	The total number of sight tests paid for by Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority in the year 2002–03 for those aged 60 and over was 189,100.
	The total number of eligible for a free eye test for those aged 60 and over was 429,300. Sight tests cannot be equated to the number of patients.
	Source:
	Department of Health Statistics.

GM Foods

John Whittingdale: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what discussions have been held by officials of the Food Standards Agency with, and what representations have been received by the Agency from, (a) the Food and Drink Federation, (b) the European Federation of European Food Additives and Food Enzymes Industries, (c) the Confederation of Food and Drink Industries of the European Union, (d) individual companies involved in the fermentation sector and (e) other stakeholders about the interpretation of the new traceability and labelling regulations in relation to products produced with genetically modified micro-organisms;
	(2)  what the policy objectives of the Food Standards Agency are for the forthcoming discussions with the European Commission and other member states about the interpretation of the new traceability and labelling regulations in relation to products produced with genetically modified micro-organisms; and what communication the Agency (a) has had and (b) intends to have with other member states to secure those objectives;

Melanie Johnson: The Food Standards Agency (FSA), in conjunction with the Department for Environment, Rural Affairs and Food, has held stakeholder meetings with a number of interested parties, including industry bodies and associations, to discuss the implications and scope of both the Genetically Modified Food and Feed Regulation (EC) 1829/2003 and the Traceability and Labelling Regulation (EC) 1830/2003.
	The food and feed industry has raised specific concerns in relation to the labelling of products arising from a fermentation process using either genetically modified micro-organisms and/or genetically modified substrates. This issue has been raised throughout Member States and the Commission has undertaken to take forward a discussion at Standing Committee where the FSA will seek clarification on the status of these products.

Heart Disease

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public funding has been spent on (a) heart disease and (b) cancer care in Manchester, Gorton in each of the last five years.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is not collected centrally. Allocations of funding for particular treatments are matters for the local primary care trust.

Health Expenditure

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public funding has been spent on (a) heart disease and (b) cancer care in Burnley in each of the last five years.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is not collected centrally. Allocations of funding for particular treatments are matters for the local primary care trust.

Health Expenditure

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public funding has been spent on (a) heart disease and (b) cancer care in Preston in each of the last five years.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is not collected centrally. Allocations of funding for particular treatments are matters for the local primary care trust.

Health Service Publications

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of publications in 2003 by (a) his Department, (b) primary care trusts and (c) hospital trusts.

Rosie Winterton: The estimated cost of publications, including posters, leaflets, fact-sheets and resource packs produced by the Department's Communications Directorate in 2003–04 is £14.85 million. The estimated costs of publications produced by primary care trusts and hospital trusts cannot be given, as these figures are not held centrally.

Health Services (Bootle)

Joe Benton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public funding was spent on (a) heart disease and (b) cancer care in Bootle in each of the last five years.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is not collected centrally. Allocations for funding for particular treatments are matters for the local primary care trust.

Health Services (Bootle)

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions the Accident and Emergency Department of University Hospital, Aintree exceeded a four-hour wait for treatment between February 2002 and February 2004.

Melanie Johnson: The Department began collecting accident and emergency performance figures from the second quarter of 2002–03. The available information is shown in the table.
	
		Total time spent in Accident and Emergency from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge, Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust, July 2002 to December 2003
		
			  Quarter Name Total attendances Percentage of patients who spent less than four hours in A&E Actual number of patients spending over four hours in A&E 
		
		
			 2002–03 2 Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust 19,630 52.1 9,394 
			 2002–03 3 Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust 18,931 59.3 7,702 
			 2002–03 4 Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust 18,360 75.4 4,516 
			 2003–04 1 Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust 20,106 77.4 4,547 
			 2003–04 2 Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust 21,348 90.8 1,957 
			 2003–04 3 Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust 19,016 85.0 2,853 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health dataset QMAE.

Health Services (Bootle)

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital beds were available in Liverpool for each year between 1997 and 2003.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Average daily number of available beds by sector, NHS organisations in Liverpool, 1997–2003
		
			 ID Organisation (31)2002–03 (31)2001–02 (31)2000–01 (31)1999–2000 (31)1998–99 (31)1997–98 
		
		
			 REM Aintree University Hospitals NHS Trust 905 949 1,163 1,110 1,152 1,190 
			 RQ6 Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust 1,228 1,212 1,262 1,227 1,205 1,156 
			 RBQ The Cardiothoracic Centre -Liverpool NHS Trust 196 214 192 186 184 185 
			 RET Walton Centre for Neurology 124 153 114 111 104 104 
			 REN Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology 107 106 105 113 119 137 
			 RBS Royal Liverpool Childrens Hospital 241 243 238 242 243 241 
			 Total  2,801 2,877 3,074 2,989 3,007 3,013 
		
	
	(31)   Available
	Source:
	Department of Health form KH03

Heart Surgery

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residents in Heywood and Middleton awaiting heart surgery have had the option of choosing an alternative hospital for quicker treatment in the last 12 months.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is not held centrally.

Hospices

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on funding for hospices in the NHS.

Melanie Johnson: The latest survey by the National Council for Hospice and Specialist Palliative Care Services indicates the National Health Service allocation in 2000 to specialist palliative care was £130 million, of which £65 million went to voluntary hospices and the remainder to specialist palliative care services provided by the NHS.
	The Government subsequently pledged in the NHS cancer plan to increase NHS investment in specialist palliative care, including hospices, by an extra £50 million per annum by 2004. This pledge has been met and represents an increase of nearly 40 per cent. in the amount of funding provided by the NHS over 2000 figures.

Human Fertilisation and Embryology

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many prosecutions have been brought since 1991 for breach of the prohibition in section 3 (4) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 on the keeping or using for treatment or research of embryos beyond the 14 day limit;
	(2)  when the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority will publish the results of its work with the Medical Research Council on the long-term effects of IVF;
	(3)  how many cases of ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome have been reported since 1991; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised me that no prosecutions have been brought in respect of a breach of section 3(4) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990.
	No date has yet been set for publication of the outcome of the work that the Medical Research Council and the HFEA have been doing on the long term health effects of assisted conception treatments, including in vitro fertilisation.
	Data on incidences of ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome are not collected centrally nor routinely recorded by the HFEA.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of trials using pigs' whip worm eggs to treat inflammatory bowel disease.

Stephen Ladyman: We are aware of the promising results from the research trials in the United States. The product, however, has not yet been licensed by the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products.

Learning Disabilities

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people with learning disabilities are inappropriately accommodated in long-stay hospitals; when he expects to be able to provide more appropriate accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The Government are committed to the closure of the remaining long stay hospitals: it is not right that people with learning disabilities should live in national health service accommodation on a long term basis. Strategic health authorities are responsible for ensuring that primary care trusts and NHS trusts are working in partnership with local authorities to develop and deliver plans that will achieve the closure of the remaining hospitals.
	The latest information available (April 2004) is that 622 people are still living in long stay hospitals; this compares with about 1,500 when the White Paper, "Valuing People: A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century", was published in March 2001. It is disappointing that the 2004 closure date in "Valuing People" has been missed, but each remaining hospital now has an individually agreed closure date between now and April 2006.

Liquid-based Cytology

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much has been allocated for liquid-based cytology in 2004–05;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the use made of the £1.2 million funding for liquid-based cytology in 2003–04.

Melanie Johnson: The Government provided £1.2 million in 2003–04 and is providing a further £6 million in 2004–05 to kick start the national implementation of liquid based cytology (LBC) across the cervical screening programme. Funding for further years is in primary care trust baselines. The intention is that cytology training centres should be converted first in order to be in a position to train the rest of the programme.
	The £1.2 million funding for 2003–04 was distributed to the service, and eight of the nine cytology training centres are at various stages of training in LBC techniques. The ninth is assessing which of the two main LBC technologies to implement before commencing training.

Lupus

Helen Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to raise awareness of the particular problems of patients and carers suffering from lupus.

Stephen Ladyman: We are taking no specific action to raise awareness of the problems of patients and carers with lupus. Ministers however, have had two meetings with the All Party Parliamentary Group on Lupus in the past year.

Mental Health Services

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding has been provided to improve child and adolescent mental health services over the last three years; what the planned spending on these services is; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: In the three years to March 2004, we have invested an additional £83.6 million for the development of child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) delivered by the national health service and local authorities.
	A number of positive outcomes have been reported including improved access to specialist services, the development of new services for groups that traditionally have found it difficult to access CAMHS and better support to other agencies. In particular, this additional investment has led to a significant increase in multi-disciplinary and joint working across professions and agencies, engaging key local players in the development of the service.
	This is only the first stage in a continuing programme of radical improvements in the quality and quantity of CAMHS. Our current public service agreement target provides for an expansion of the service by at least 10 per cent., per year for the three years to March 2006. This development is further underpinned by £252 million of additional funding over the next two years.

Mobile MRI Scan Units

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the ability of mobile MRI scan units to share data with the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: Data produced by mobile magnetic resonance imaging units, including images acquired, will be provided in a format that is compatible with current national health service systems.

MRSA

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 20 April 2004, Official Report, column 427W, on MRSA, whether the Commission for Social Care Inspection will collect and publish information on MRSA infections in care homes.

Melanie Johnson: I understand from the Chairman of the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) that the Commission does not collect information specifically about methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), although regulated service providers must notify CSCI of death, illness and other events.

National Information Centre

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people have used the National Information Centre in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how much the National Learning Disability Information Centre and Helpline has cost to set up; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The National Learning Disability Centre and Helpline was launched in December 2001. In 2002, the Helpline answered 6,482 enquires. The equivalent figure for the period from January to December 2003 was 10,522.
	The Department and Mencap each gave £250,000 per year to run the National Learning Disability Centre and Helpline from 2001 until March 2004. We have recently confirmed that Government funding will continue for another two years from April 2004. The first year's allocation included set up costs.

National Service Framework for Older People

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what age-related policies have been reported by local health authorities in response to the National Service Framework for Older People; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave to her on 28 April 2004, Official Report, column 1091W.

NHS Staff

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS (a) doctors and (b) nurses there were in Heywood in each of the last seven years; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: The table shows the number of doctors and nurses within the Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority area, the number of general medical practitioners and practice nurses in Heywood and Middleton and the number of doctors and nurses in the Pennine Acute Hospitals National Health Service Trust (including its predecessor organisations) each year since 1997.
	
		Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS) Doctors(32), General Medical Practitioners (excluding retainers)(33) Qualified Nursing, Midwifery and health visiting staff and Practice Nurses employed by Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents (UPEs)(34)for Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority and specified organisations -- Number (headcount)
		
			  1997 1998(35) 1999(35) 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Greater Manchester   
			 Doctors(32) 5,322 5,441 5,634 5,695 5,834 5,951 5,965 
			 of which:
			 HCHS Doctors(32) 3,837 3,957 4,124 4,172 4,315 4,440 4,384 
			 General Medical Practitioners (excluding retainers)(33) 1,485 1,484 1,510 1,523 1,519 1,511 1,581 
			 
			 Nurses 19,551 19,834 19,818 20,087 20,213 20,982 21,609 
			 of which:
			 Qualified Nursing, Midwifery and health visiting staff 18,678 18,907 18,767 19,163 19,258 20,053 20,674 
			 Practice Nurses 873 927 1,051 924 955 929 935 
			 
			 Heywood and Middleton PCT   
			 Doctors(32) (36)— (36)— 44 45 (36)— (36)— (36)— 
			 Nurses (36)— (36)— 21 21 (36)— (36)— (36)— 
			 
			 Heywood and Middleton PCG   
			 Doctors(32) (36)— (36)— (36)— (36)— 45 45 45 
			 Nurses (36)— (36)— (36)— (36)— 65 142 144 
			 
			 Oldham NHS Trust
			 Doctors(32) 211 224 220 229 232 (36)— (36)— 
			 Nurses 1,185 1,191 1,203 1,292 1,296 (36)— (36)— 
			 
			 Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust 
			 Doctors(32) 173 224 220 229 232 (36)— (36)— 
			 Nurses 1,001 1,040 859 1,015 915 (36)— (36)— 
			 
			 North Manchester Health Care NHS Trust 
			 Doctors(32) 320 315 376 373 366 (36)— (36)— 
			 Nurses 1,184 1,195 1,103 1,085 885 (36)— (36)— 
			 
			 Bury Health Care NHS Trust   
			 Doctors(32) 163 171 183 196 203 (36)— (36)— 
			 Nurses 881 878 907 944 997 (36)— (36)— 
			 
			 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust  
			 Doctors(32) (36)— (36)— (36)— (36)— (36)— 919 696 
			 Nurses (36)— (36)— (36)— (36)— (36)— 2,922 3,221 
		
	
	(32) Excludes Hospital Medical Hospital Practitioners and Hospital Medical Clinical Assistants, most of whom are GPs working part time in hospitals.
	(33) All Practitioners (excluding retainers) include Restricted Principals, Assistants, GP Registrars, Salaried Doctors (Para. 52 SFA), PMS Other, Flexible Career Scheme GPs and GP Returners.
	(34) UPEs include GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs and PMS Salaried GPs.
	(35) Headcount Practice Nurse figures are estimated for these years.
	(36) Not available.
	Note:
	Data as at 30 September every year except GPs which are as at 1 October 1997–99.
	Sources:
	Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics.
	Department of Health Medical and Dental Workforce Census.
	Department of Health Non-medical Workforce Census.

NHS Staff

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS (a) doctors and (b) nurses there were in Burnley in each of the last seven years.

Melanie Johnson: Information on the number of national health service doctors and nurses is not gathered on a constituency basis. The tables show information based on NHS organisations serving the Burnley area.
	
		Hospital, Public Health Medicine and Community Health Services (HCHS) Doctors(37) and General Medical Practitioners (excluding retainers) for Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority and specified organisations serving the Burnley area as at 30September
		
			  All Doctors(37) 
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Cumbria and Lancashire SHA 3,173 3,283 3,263 3,380 3,350 3,413 3,494 
			 Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care(38) 201 211 219 239 250 238 n/a 
			 Burnley Healthcare NHS Trust(38) 211 232 238 280 232 230 n/a 
			 East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 499 
			 Burnley PCG n/a n/a 52 53 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Pendle PCG n/a n/a 51 51 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Rossendale PCG n/a n/a 33 31 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale PCT n/a n/a n/a n/a 138 151 158 
		
	
	n/a = not available
	(37) Excludes Hospital Medical Hospital Practitioners and Hospital Medical Clinical Assistants, most of whom are GPs working part time in hospital
	(38) Mental Health elements transferred to Lancashire Care Trust from 1 April 2002
	Note:
	Data as at 30 September every year except GP as at 1 October 1997–1999.
	Sources:
	Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics.
	Department of Health Medical and Dental Workforce Census.
	Department of Health Non-medical Workforce Census.
	
		Qualified Nursing, Midwifery and health visiting staff and Practice Nurses employed by Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents (UPEs)(39) for Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority and specified organisations serving the Burnley area as at 30September
		
			  Nurses 
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Cumbria and Lancashire SHA Q13 13,359 13,400 13,859 13,494 13,794 15,011 15,049 
			 Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care(39) RMB 1,260 1,274 1,547 1,189 1,206 1,161 n/a 
			 Burnley Healthcare NHS Trust(40) REU 1,382 1,369 1,358 1,364 1,536 1,185 103 
			 East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust RXR n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 2,143 
			 Burnley PCG 4PG13 n/a n/a 37 39 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Pendle PCG 4TA20 n/a n/a 49 31 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Rossendale PCG 4DK34 n/a n/a 22 22 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale PCT 5G8 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 392 403 
		
	
	n/a = not available
	(39) UPEs include GMS Unrestricted Principals, PMS Contracted GPs and PMS Salaried GPs.
	(40) Mental Health elements transferred to Lancashire Care Trust from 1 April 2002.
	Note:
	Data as at 30 September every year except GP as at 1 October 1997–1999
	Source:
	Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics.
	Department of Health Non-medical Workforce Census.

NHS Staff

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS (a) therapists and (b) scientists were located in Manchester, Gorton in each of the last seven years.

Melanie Johnson: Available information is shown in the table.
	
		NHS hospital and community health services: Qualified scientific, therapeutic and technical staff in the Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority(41) and each specified organisation as at 30September each specified year -- Headcount
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Greater Manchester SHA(41) 5,701 5,796 5,956 6,248 6,589 7,029 7,170 
			 of which:
			 Manchester HA 2,040 2,045 2,096 2,160 2,432 (42)— (42)— 
			 
			 Central Manchester Healthcare NHS Trust 673 668 705 730 (42)— (42)— (42)— 
			 Manchester Childrens Hospitals NHS Trust 187 189 191 211 (42)— (42)— (42)— 
			 Central Manchester PCT (42)— (42)— (42)— (42)— 116 152 152 
			 Central Manchester and Manchester Children's UniversityHospitals NHS Trust (42)— (42)— (42)— (42)— 923 1,045 1,115 
		
	
	(41) Figures for Greater Manchester SHA are based on the 2002 organisational structure.
	(42) Not applicable.
	Source:
	Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census.

Osteoporosis

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on services for people with osteoporosis.

Stephen Ladyman: Services to identify, treat and offer preventative advice are available on the National Health Service. The Government's response to osteoporosis has been to include it in the falls standard of the national service framework for older people. The standard requires local health services to establish appropriate interventions and advice to prevent osteoporotic fractures.
	To support this requirement, the Department has asked the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to develop clinical guidance on osteoporosis and undertake a technology appraisal on new treatments.

Osteoporosis

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to report its recommendations on a technology appraisal on (a) the newer osteoporosis treatments and (b) a clinical guideline on osteoporosis.

Stephen Ladyman: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) is due to publish its appraisal of technologies for the secondary prevention of osteoporotic fractures in postmenopausal women in October 2004. A clinical guideline on the assessment of fracture risk and the prevention of osteoporotic fractures in individuals at high risk is expected to be published in June 2005. A further appraisal of technologies for the primary prevention of osteoporotic fragility fractures in postmenopausal women is being informed by work being carried out by the World Health Organisation and the NICE guideline development group, and is also expected to be published in 2005. Copies of the draft guidance and information on their progress can be found on the NICE website at www.nice.org.uk.

Osteoporosis

Diana Organ: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which primary care trusts provide preventative osteopososis services.

Stephen Ladyman: This information is not collected centrally.

Osteoporosis

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of preventative measures likely to be of help in the management of osteoporosis; and if he will make a statement on how he will encourage an increase in (a) dietary calcium, (b) dietary vitamin D and (c) weight-bearing exercise.

Stephen Ladyman: The Department gives general lifestyle messages for preventing osteoporosis, revolving around diet, exercise, reducing smoking and avoiding excessive consumption of alcohol.
	We are linking the national service framework for older people with wider work on healthy active life in older age to encourage older people to increase levels of physical activity and to assist with accident prevention.
	We are funding projects around increasing and encouraging physical activity in residential care settings and increasing the availability of training for those offering exercise as part of falls prevention.
	In June 1998, the Department issued guidelines to general practitioners and primary healthcare teams entitled, "A quick reference Primary Care Guide on the Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis". It recommends that adequate intakes of calcium and vitamin D at the reference nutrient intake are maintained.
	The Royal College of Physicians guidelines on osteoporosis recommended to health authorities that they should put arrangements in place so that those at particularly high risk of osteoporosis have the opportunity to receive appropriate investigation, prophylaxis, such as hormone replacement therapy or calcium and vitamin D or calcium and bisphosphonates, and advice, for example, about smoking and physical activity.

PCTs (North Derbyshire)

Harry Barnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he collates on the workings of the out-of-hours patient service in the areas of the three primary care trusts in North Derbyshire.

Stephen Ladyman: Information on the workings of local general practitioner out-of-hours services is not collected centrally. Strategic health authorities have responsibility for the performance management of their primary care trusts in their delivery of out-of-hours services.

Prostate Cancer

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 21 April, Official Report, column 558W, on prostate cancer, if he will make an assessment of the recent findings of research by the US National Cancer Institute on the effect of frequent ejaculation in protecting men against prostate cancer.

Melanie Johnson: We are aware of the research undertaken by the United States national cancer institute on the effect of frequent ejaculation in protecting men against prostate cancer. The prostate cancer risk management programme is supported by a scientific reference group. This issue will be discussed when the group next meets in the summer.

Public Funding

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public funding has been spent on health in Heywood and Middleton in each of the last seven years.

Melanie Johnson: The information is not available in the format requested. Expenditure per weighted head of the population in the Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority (SHA) area, which includes the constituency of Heywood and Middleton, has increased from £582.33 in 1997–98 to £992.61 in 2002–03 (the latest year available). This does not represent the total expenditure per head as an element of health expenditure cannot be identified by SHA area.

Public Funding

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public funding has been spent on health in Stalybridge and Hyde in each of the last seven years.

Melanie Johnson: The information is not available in the format requested. Expenditure per weighted head of the population in the Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority (SHA) area, which includes the constituency of Stalybridge and Hyde, has increased from £582.33 in 1997–98 to £992.61 in 2002–03 (the latest year available). This does not represent the total expenditure per head as an element of health expenditure cannot be identified by SHA area.

Radon Gas

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess the risk to health of radon gas in the United Kingdom.

Melanie Johnson: Radiation-induced lung cancers have been reported in uranium and hard rock miners for a long time. However, the aetiological role of radon was not recognised until 1951, when it was discovered that the lung hazard was due to radiation dose from the decay products of radon. Since the 1980s, the National Radiological Protection Board has kept the risk to health from radon gas under review. The main risk is still lung cancer, although it has been suggested that radon may also cause other types of cancer. On theoretical grounds, some such radon-induced cancers would be expected, but these would be far fewer than the lung cancers and have not been detected in well-designed epidemiological studies.

School Blood Donations

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children donated blood at mobile blood units visiting schools in 2003–04.

Melanie Johnson: The age limit for first time donors is 17 to 60 years, although regular donors can continue to give blood until the age of 70 as long as they continue to meet all the donor selection criteria.
	During 2003–04 across all donor sessions:
	20,776 donors aged 17 (as at 1 April 2003) made a total of 30,344 donations; and
	22,826 donors aged 18 (as at 1 April 2003) made a total of 32,309 donations.
	The national blood service (NBS) actively targets 17-year-olds. In March 2004, the NBS launched a new direct marketing campaign targeting 17-year-olds. This mailing encourages individuals who have just turned 17 to pre-register to give blood. So far, 3,266 17-year-olds have signed up as blood donors because of this campaign.

Surplus Property Sales

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total costs associated with the proposed sale of surplus NHS sites and Inventures to date have been.

John Hutton: holding answer 27 April 2004
	The total project and property selling costs associated with the proposed real estate partnership was some £13.4 million at the end of 2003–04, a very small proportion of the likely eventual value of the property portfolio.

Waiting Lists

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes there have been to NHS waiting list time in the last seven years for the residents of Heywood and Middleton.

Melanie Johnson: The information is not available in the form requested. The table shows the number of patients waiting for admission to the Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (including its predecessor organisations) each year since 1997.
	
		Patients waiting for elective in-patient admission
		
			   Patients waiting for admission by months waiting 
			 NHS Trust Total number of patients waiting for admission Less than three months Three to five months Six to eight months Nine to 11 months 12 to 14 months 15 to 17 months 18 plus months 
		
		
			 March 1997 
			 Oldham NHS Trust 8,436 3,837 2,293 1,339 967 — — — 
			 Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust 4,464 2,472 868 577 374 173 — — 
			 North Manchester Healthcare NHSTrust 5,787 2,961 1,506 708 427 157 22 6 
			 Bury Healthcare NHS Trust 2,223 1,471 399 196 120 37 — — 
			 March 1998 
			 Oldham NHS Trust 8,332 3,954 1,976 1,650 736 16 — — 
			 Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust 4,684 2,702 924 581 305 132 40 — 
			 North Manchester Healthcare NHSTrust 6,002 2,911 1,253 827 528 308 175 — 
			 Bury Healthcare NHS Trust 2,437 1,581 375 251 128 91 11 — 
			 March 1999 
			 Oldham NHS Trust 7,338 4,156 1,904 895 315 67 1 — 
			 Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust 4,168 2,351 873 484 257 167 36 — 
			 North Manchester Healthcare NHSTrust 4,699 3,342 737 369 148 76 27 — 
			 Bury Healthcare NHS Trust 2,153 1,210 367 240 127 158 51 — 
			 March 2000 
			 Oldham NHS Trust 6,484 4,012 1,364 682 371 50 5 — 
			 Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust 4,032 2,102 841 568 330 130 61 — 
			 North Manchester Healthcare NHSTrust 4,262 3,131 653 230 150 78 20 — 
			 Bury Healthcare NHS Trust 2,103 1,218 341 219 164 105 56 — 
			 March 2001 
			 Oldham NHS Trust 6,427 4,092 1,478 601 213 43 — — 
			 Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust 4,039 2,456 876 397 249 45 16 — 
			 North Manchester Healthcare NHSTrust 4,016 2,884 680 303 119 27 3 — 
			 Bury Healthcare NHS Trust 1,916 1,250 367 181 118 — — — 
			 March 2002 
			 Oldham NHS Trust 6,297 3,830 1,631 611 225 — — — 
			 Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust 4,530 2,675 1,029 527 254 45 — — 
			 North Manchester Healthcare NHSTrust 4,008 2,804 795 265 114 30 — — 
			 Bury Healthcare NHS Trust 2,045 1,411 336 218 78 2 — — 
			 March 2003 
			 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 15,872 10,226 3,607 1,575 464 — — — 
			 February 2004 
			 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 15,892 9,720 4,536 1,491 145 — — — 
		
	
	Source:
	DH form KH07 and Monthly Monitoring.

Waiting Lists

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of suspected cancer patients in Heywood and Middleton saw an NHS consultant within two weeks in each of the last seven years.

Melanie Johnson: The information is not available in the format requested. The table shows the number and percentage of suspected cancer patients, seen within two weeks of urgent referral by a general practitioner, at the Pennine Acute Hospitals National Health Service Trust and its predecessor organisations for each quarter since quarter four of 2000–01. Earlier figures are not available.
	
		Waiting times for first consultant outpatient appointment for suspected cancer following urgent GP referral
		
			   Quarter   NHS Trust Seen within two weeks (percentage)   Number 
		
		
			 2000–01
			 4 Oldham NHS Trust 93.3 167 
			 4 Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust 99.0 200 
			 4 North Manchester HealthcareNHS Trust 93.9 200 
			 4 Bury Healthcare NHS Trust 97.1 374 
			 2001–02
			 1 Oldham NHS Trust 94.8 181 
			 1 Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust 97.8 224 
			 1 North Manchester HealthcareNHS Trust 94.9 242 
			 1 Bury Healthcare NHS Trust 96.1 345 
			 2 Oldham NHS Trust 96.4 162 
			 2 Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust 93.0 227 
			 2 North Manchester HealthcareNHS Trust 90.6 298 
			 2 Bury Healthcare NHS Trust 99.0 385 
			 3 Oldham NHS Trust 98.9 181 
			 3 Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust 99.6 235 
			 3 North Manchester HealthcareNHS Trust 94.7 286 
			 3 Bury Healthcare NHS Trust 99.5 398 
			 4 Oldham NHS Trust 98.5 197 
			 4 Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust 99.5 209 
			 4 North ManchesterHealthcareNHS Trust 99.7 302 
			 4 Bury Healthcare NHS Trust 100.0 450 
			 2002–03
			 1 Pennine AcuteHospitals NHSTrust 98.8 1,215 
			 2 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHSTrust 99.1 1,240 
			 3 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHSTrust 98.4 1,325 
			 4 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHSTrust 95.8 1,190 
			 2003–04
			 1 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHSTrust 92.2 1,214 
			 2 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHSTrust 94.9 1,174 
			 3 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHSTrust 97.6 1,276 
		
	
	Source:
	DH form QMCW

Waiting Lists

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on NHS waiting times for heart surgery in Heywood and Middleton.

Melanie Johnson: There were two patients waiting nine to 11 months for heart surgery in the Heywood and Middleton Primary Care Trust area in June 2002, since when no patients have waited more than nine months.

Waiting Lists

James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes there have been to NHS waiting list times in the last seven years for the residents of Stalybridge and Hyde.

Melanie Johnson: The information is not available in the form requested. The table shows the number of patients waiting for admission to the Tameside and Glossop Acute Services National Health Service Trust each year since 1997.
	
		Patients waiting for elective in-patient admission
		
			   Patients waiting for admission by months waiting 
			 NHS Trust Total number of patients waiting for admission Less than 3 months 3–5 months 6–8 months 9–11 months 12–14 months 15–17 months 18 + months 
		
		
			 March 1997 
			 Tameside and Glossop Acute Services NHS Trust 3,216 2,062 767 321 66 — — — 
			 March 1998 
			 Tameside and Glossop Acute Services NHS Trust 3,704 2,416 789 349 150 — — — 
			 March 1999 
			 Tameside and Glossop Acute Services NHS Trust 3,142 2,453 432 197 60 — — — 
			 March 2000 
			 Tameside and Glossop Acute Services NHS Trust 3,460 2,686 486 225 63 — — — 
			 March 2001 
			 Tameside and Glossop Acute Services NHS Trust 3,523 2,508 650 237 93 35 — — 
			 March 2002 
			 Tameside and Glossop Acute Services NHS Trust 3,660 2,216 920 406 118 — — — 
			 March 2003 
			 Tameside and Glossop Acute Services NHS Trust 3,502 2,408 808 254 32 — — — 
			 February 2004 
			 Tameside and Glossop Acute Services NHS Trust 3,077 2,140 747 189 1 — — — 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health form KH07 and Monthly Monitoring

Waiting Lists

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residents in Burnley awaiting heart surgery have had the option of choosing an alternative hospital for quicker treatment in the last 12 months.

Melanie Johnson: This information is not collected centrally.

Waiting Lists

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residents in Preston awaiting heart surgery have had the option of choosing an alternative hospital for quicker treatment in the last 12 months.

Melanie Johnson: This information is not collected centrally.

Ward Managers

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether ward managers are provided with NHS purchasing cards.

John Hutton: The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency has agreements for the provision of purchase cards to the national health service. In 2001, each ward manager was allocated a budget of £5000 to improve the ward environment. The use of purchase cards was developed as part of this initiative, but it was for decision by individual NHS trust whether to join the scheme and to issue cards to ward managers. As at April 2004, there are 2000 purchase cards being used in the NHS.

Warrington Hospital

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what capital expenditure has been undertaken at Warrington hospital in each year since 1997; and for what purposes.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the tables.
	
		Expenditure on capital additions—purchased -- £ thousand
		
			 Warrington Hospital NHS Trust 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 
		
		
			 Land 171 0 0 0 
			 Buildings, installationsand fittings 773 1,060 1,621 756 
			 Assets underconstruction 0 0 0 0 
			 Equipment 687 748 1,668 1,860 
			 Total 1,631 1,808 3,289 2,616 
		
	
	
		North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust
		
			  2001–02 
		
		
			 Land 0 
			 Buildings, Installations and Fittings 1,750 
			 Assets under Construction 0 
			 Equipment 2,327 
			 Total 4,077 
		
	
	
		North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust
		
			  2002–03 
		
		
			 Land 0 
			 Buildings excluding dwellings 2,380 
			 Dwellings 7 
			 Assets under construction and payments on account 1,545 
			 Plant and machinery 2,165 
			 Transport equipment 0 
			 Information technology 83 
			 Furniture and fittings 22 
			 Total 6,202 
		
	
	Sources:
	Audited summarisation schedules of the Warrington Hospital NHS Trust 1997–98 to 2000–01
	Audited summarisation schedules of the North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust 2001–02 and 2002–03